Systems and methods for event monitoring using aerial drones

ABSTRACT

A radio frequency identification (RFID) network and methods for even monitoring in a closed environment includes distributing RFID readers across the environment. Readers have unique reader identifiers and communicate with a computer system. These identifiers and reader locations are stored. The location of subjects bearing passive RFID tags is acquired by reading the unique subject identifiers off the tags and associating these RFID tags with the reader identifiers of the readers making the readings. A subject data store includes the location data of the subjects obtained by the RFID readers and electronic addresses of the subjects. An instruction set data store comprising sets, each set corresponding to one of a plurality of events, is also maintained. In accordance with the instruction set data store, in response to an event, different event messages are sent to different subjects and an aerial drone is dispatched.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/923,089 filed Oct. 26, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S.Pat. No. 9,195,866, filed Jun. 10, 2015, the contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods fortracking subjects in a closed environment, such as a school campus or anoffice park, using a distributed network of radio frequencyidentification (RFID) readers distributed across the closed environment.The systems and methods provide economical solutions for emergencyresponse, building regulation compliance, time and attendance and othertracking applications.

BACKGROUND

Systems and methods for emergency and response and tracking of subjectsin closed (defined) environments, such as warehouses, a manufacturingfacilities, refineries, schools, business campuses, cruise ships,transportation hubs, government facilities, military installations,conference centers, medical facilities, correctional facilities, hotelsand mines have been around in some form of another since the advent ofsuch environments. Moreover, such systems have benefited fromtechnologies such as global position satellite and cellular services.Nevertheless, just a brief survey of the news indicates thatimprovements in the field are needed.

On May 26, 2015, Fontana, Calif. deputies placed a public high school onlockdown after receiving report of two male juveniles who were seenpossibly in possession of a handgun. Deputies said the two students werenot found in possession of a weapon. However, they were transported tothe Fontana Sheriffs Station for further investigation as aprecautionary measure and the school remained in lockdown untilauthorities searched all areas of the school.

On Jun. 14, 2013, a Frenchtown Township factory in Monroe County Mich.went into lockdown after an employee made several threats to show up andshoot people. The suspect was found at a nearby hotel and arrested oncharges of making threats and inciting a panic. Officials at the factoryreported the suspect made threats to come in and shoot up the place.

On May 13, 2014, an explosion at a coal mine in Soma, Manisa, Turkey,caused an underground mine fire, which burned until May 15, 2014. Intotal, 301 people were killed. The mine, operated by coal producer SomaKömür İ

letmeleri A.

., suffered an explosion. The explosion occurred during the mine's shiftchange, and 787 workers were underground at the time.

As these incidents illustrate, the need for cost effective systems andmethods for tracking a plurality of subjects continues unabated. WhileGPS tracking through smart phones or similar devices shows some promise,GPS doesn't work inside buildings, which is a problem when trying totrack subjects in buildings, especially multi-story buildings orunderground situations. In such situations, the ability to specify thelocation of subjects is not possible using GPS. This is a problem thatfirefighters, police and rescue personnel face every day when they entera facility. Moreover, school shootings, such as the above identifiedexamples, appear to be on a rise.

Thus, given the above background, what is need in the art are improvedsystems and methods for tracking a plurality of subjects in a closedenvironment.

SUMMARY

The disclosed embodiments address the need in the art for improvedsystems and methods for tracking a plurality of subjects in a closedenvironment. In the present disclosure, a radio frequency identification(RFID) network and methods thereof are provided for tracking subjects ina closed environment. The RFID readers are distributed across theenvironment. In essence, the RFID readers define the closed environment.In some embodiments, some or all of the RFID readers are at entry pointsto the closed environment.

The RFID readers can be permanent stationary readers, or mobile unitsfor an impromptu/temporary zone establishment, for example a gatheringplace outside in case of a fire, or to temporarily cover thefunctionality of a permanently stations reader that is currentlyinoperable. Accordingly, in some instances, some of the RFID readers arepermanently stationed while some of the RFID readers are transientlystationed. In other instances, all of the RFID readers are permanentlystationed. In still other instances, all of the RFID readers aretransiently stationed.

Each RFID reader has a unique reader identifier and communicates with acomputer system. The computer system stores these reader identifiers andreader locations. Subjects to be tracked by the disclosed system bearpassive RFID tags and enter and leave the closed environment over time.Each RFID tag includes a unique subject identifier that uniquelyidentifies the subject bearing the RFID tag. As subjects enter and/orexit from the closed environment, their ingress and/or egress isdetected by the RFID readers at the environment entry points. An RFIDreader detects such activity by reading the unique subject identifieroff the RFID tags from up to forty feet. Advantageously, the disclosedsystem is inexpensive to manufacture and thus may be expansivelydeployed.

The RFID readers report their reads by passing along the subjectidentifiers they read to the computer system. Included in such reportsis the unique reader identifier of the RFID reader so that the computersystem knows the position in the closed environment where such entriesor exits transpired. This entry/exit information, together with a lookuptable that includes the positions of each of the RFID reader in theclosed environment, informs a map comprising positions, on anenvironment diagram, of the subjects. Moreover, the status of thereaders is maintained by receiving and analyzing status signals from thereaders. A subject data store is maintained and includes theingress/egress data and electronic addresses (e.g., telephone numbers,E-mail addresses, social network addresses) of the subjects. Thecomputer system further maintains an instruction set data store. Eachinstruction set in the instruction set data store is for one of anynumber of events that may occur that is related to the closedenvironment (e.g., a fire, a security threat, overcrowding within a zoneof the close environment, etc). When such an event occurs, the dataregarding the whereabouts of the subjects tracked by the computer systemand their contact information (e.g., electronic addresses) is leveragedto intelligently and dynamically address the event. For example, in thecase of a fire in a specific zone in the closed environment, thecomputer system can send specific instructions to subjects in each zoneof the closed environment that are exactly tailored to help bringsubjects in each such zone to safety. In one example, such tailoredinstructions would direct subjects to the nearest exit, taking intoconsideration whether the exit is not obstructed by smoke or fire.Numerous other examples of alerts and the types of instructions that maybe given are presented herein.

Now that a general summary of the disclosed systems and methods has beenoutlined, more specific embodiments of the disclosed systems and methodswill be presented.

A radio frequency identification (RFID) network for monitoring events ina closed environment is provided. The network comprises a plurality ofRFID readers distributed across the environment and a response computersystem. Each respective RFID reader in the plurality of RFID readersincludes a unique reader identifier and is in communication with theresponse computer system. The response computer system comprises amemory, one or more processors, and a sensor data store that is storedin the memory or that is addressable by the response computer system.The sensor data store includes, for each respective RFID reader in theplurality of RFID readers, a location in the closed environment of therespective RFID reader and the unique reader identifier of therespective RFID reader. The response computer system further comprisesinstructions, stored in the memory and configured for execution by theone or more processors that, when executed by the one or moreprocessors, cause the response computer system to perform the followingmethod.

In the method indication data is received. The indication dataencompasses the detection of the proximity of a respective subject in aplurality of subjects bearing a passive RFID tag to a respective RFIDreader in the plurality of readers, including (i) a unique subjectidentifier read off a passive RFID tag in the possession of therespective subject by the respective RFID reader and (ii) the readeridentifier of the respective RFID reader. Further, a subject data storeis maintained. The subject data store comprises a record for eachrespective subject in the plurality of subjects that includes (i) alocation of the respective subject in the closed environment or anindication that the respective subject is not in the closed environment,(ii) an electronic address associated with the respective subject, and(iii) a unique subject identifier associated with the respectivesubject, and (iv) a class label in a plurality of class labels. Further,an event instruction set data store is maintained. Each respective eventinstruction set in the event instruction set data store corresponds toan event in a plurality of events. A first event instruction set in theinstruction event set data store corresponds to a first event andincludes a first message that is sent to a first subset of subjects inthe plurality of subjects responsive to the first event. The firstsubset of subjects are selected from the plurality of subjects on thebasis that they are (a) localized to a first portion of the closedenvironment or (b) associated with a first class label in the pluralityof class labels corresponding to the first message, and the instructionsfurther cause the response computer system to, in response to receivingan indication that the first event has occurred, execute an eventmethod.

In the event method, an identity of the first subset of subjects isobtained in accordance with the first event instruction set. For eachrespective subject in the first subset of subjects, the electronicaddress associated with the respective subject is obtained from thesubject data store. The first message is communicated to the respectiveelectronic address of each subject in the first subset of subjects.Further, one or more aerial drones are dispatched to execute asurveillance protocol or a containment protocol within the closedenvironment.

In some embodiments, the first event instruction set further includes asecond message that is to be sent to a second subset of subjects in theplurality of subjects responsive to the first event. The second subsetof subjects is selected on the basis that they are (a) localized to asecond portion of the closed environment different from the firstportion of the closed environment, or (b) associated with a second classlabel in the plurality of class labels corresponding to the secondmessage. Further, the event method also comprises (i) obtaining anidentity second subset of subjects in accordance with the first eventinstruction set, (ii) obtaining, for each respective subject in thesecond subset of subjects, the electronic address associated with therespective subject from the subject data store; and (iii) communicatingthe second message to the respective electronic address of each subjectin the second subset of subjects.

In some embodiments a drone in the one or more drones includes a videocamera in electronic communication with the response computer system andthe surveillance protocol comprises instructing the drone to fly to aportion in the closed environment associated with the first event andobtaining, through the drone, video surveillance data from the portionof the closed environment.

In some embodiments, the one or more aerial drones are stored at one ormore storage locations in the closed environment or proximate to theclosed environment. In some such embodiments, a first storage locationin the one or more storage locations is a first charging pad that afirst aerial drone in the one or more aerial drones lands onautonomously without human intervention and is recharged by the firstcharging pad autonomously without human intervention. In someembodiments, the first aerial drone comprises a rechargeable battery inelectrical communication with at least two counter contacts at thebottom of the drone and the first charging pad comprises a plurality ofarea-wise distributed charging contacts which are insulated against eachother or against neighboring primary contacts and are connectable withthe at least two counter contacts when the first aerial drone lands onthe first charging pad. In some embodiments, the plurality of area-wisedistributed charging contacts is connected with a control unit and oneor more electrical switches for wiring into a right polarity forrecharging the rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, each chargingcontact in the plurality of area-wise distributed charging contacts isin the form of a rectangle, triangle, square or hexagonal shape. In someembodiments, the first charging pad is housed in a hanger that has aretractable entryway.

In some embodiments, a drone in the one or more drones includes aloudspeaker and a microphone in electronic communication with theresponse computer system and the surveillance protocol comprisesinstructing the drone to fly to a portion in the closed environmentassociated with the first event, communicating, through the loudspeaker,instructions to subjects in the plurality of subjects in accordance withthe first event instruction set, and obtaining, through the microphone,audio surveillance data from the portion of the closed environment.

In some embodiments, a drone in the one or more drones includes an RFIDreader in electronic communication with the response computer system andthe surveillance protocol comprises instructing the drone to fly to aportion in the closed environment associated with the first event andobtaining, through the RFID reader, confirmation of an identity of eachsubject in the portion of the closed environment.

In some embodiments, a drone in the one or more drones includes a videocamera and a debilitating device in electronic communication with theresponse computer system and the containment protocol comprisesinstructing the drone to fly to a portion in the closed environmentassociated with the first event, obtaining, through the video camera,confirmation of a nefarious subject activity occurring in the portion ofthe closed environment, receiving authorization, at the drone from theresponse computer system, to use the debilitating device uponconfirmation of the nefarious subject activity, and using thedebilitating device to counter the nefarious subject activity. In somesuch embodiments, the debilitating device is a stun gun and using thedebilitating device to counter the nefarious subject activity comprisestunning a subject responsible for the nefarious subject activity withan electric shock. In some such embodiments, the debilitating device isa smoke bomb and using the debilitating device to counter the nefarioussubject activity comprises activating the smoke bomb.

In some embodiments, a drone in the one or more drones includes a sensorin electronic communication with the response computer system and thesurveillance protocol comprises instructing the drone to fly to aportion in the closed environment associated with the first event andobtaining, through the drone, sensor data from the portion of the closedenvironment using the sensor. In some embodiments, the sensor istemperature sensor, a noise-level detector, a gas monitor, an air flowmeter, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a chemical sensor, or aradiation sensor. In some such embodiments, the surveillance protocolfurther comprises using the sensor to map out one or more safe passageroutes from the portion in the closed environment and sending the one ormore safe passage routes to the response computer system fordissemination to the first subset of subjects.

In some embodiments, a drone in the one or more drones includes an802.11 router in electronic communication with the response computersystem and the surveillance protocol comprises instructing the drone tofly to a portion in the closed environment associated with the firstevent and providing, through the drone, 802.11 communication services tofacilitate communication between subjects at the portion of the closedenvironment and the response computer system.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provide an RFID network fortracking a plurality of subjects in a closed environment having at leasta plurality of entries is provided. The network comprises a plurality ofRFID readers distributed across the environment and a response computersystem. Each respective RFID reader in a first subset of the pluralityof RFID readers is positioned at an entry in the plurality of entries.Each respective RFID reader in the plurality of RFID readers includes aunique reader identifier and is in communication with the responsecomputer system. The response computer system comprises memory and oneor more processors. The response computer system further comprises asensor data store, stored in the memory. The sensor data store includes,for each respective RFID reader in the plurality of RFID readers, alocation in the closed environment of the respective RFID reader and theunique reader identifier of the RFID reader.

The response computer system further comprises instructions, stored inthe memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors,that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the responsecomputer system to receive indication data. The indication dataencompasses the ingress or egress of each respective subject in theplurality of subjects bearing a passive RFID tag through entries in theplurality of entries, including, for each respective subject, (i) aunique subject identifier read off a passive RFID tag in the possessionof the respective subject by a corresponding RFID reader in theplurality of readers from a distance between the passive RFID tag andthe corresponding RFID reader of up to forty feet and (ii) the readeridentifier of the corresponding RFID reader. The instructions furthermaintain a visual position map based on the indication data. The visualposition map comprises a respective position, on a schematic diagram ofthe closed environment, of each subject bearing a passive RFID tagdetected by at least one of the plurality of RFID readers.

The instructions further execute an RFID reader status module thatmaintains an RFID reader status of each RFID reader in the plurality ofRFID readers. The RFID reader status module performs a method ofreceiving, on a recurring (periodic or nonperiodic) basis, a respectivestatus signal from each respective RFID reader in the plurality of RFIDreaders. Such respective status signals indicate the status of thecorresponding RFID readers. The method further analyzes each respectivestatus signal for the status of the corresponding RFID reader. Themethod further maintains a subject data store. This subject data storecomprises a respective record of each subject in the plurality ofsubjects. Each respective record includes (i) a history of ingress intoand egress from the closed environment by the corresponding subject,(ii) an electronic address associated with the corresponding subject,and (iii) a unique subject identifier associated with the correspondingsubject. The method further maintains an event instruction set datastore. Each respective event instruction set in the event instructionset data store corresponds to an event in a plurality of events.

Advantageously, the disclosed system can send different messages tosubjects based on their location. For instance, in some embodiments afirst event instruction set in the instruction event set data storecorresponds to a first event and includes (i) a first message that is tobe sent to a first subset of subjects in the plurality of subjects onthe basis that they are localized by the visual position map to a firstportion of the closed environment, without human intervention,responsive to the first event at a time when the first event occurs, and(ii) a second message that is to be sent to a second subset of subjectsin the plurality of subjects on the basis that they are localized by thevisual position map to a second portion of the closed environment,without human intervention, responsive to the first event at a time whenthe first event occurs. Moreover, the instructions further cause theresponse computer system to, in response to receiving an indication thatthe first event has occurred, obtain an identity of the first and secondsubset of subjects from the visual position map and obtain, for eachrespective subject in the first subset of subjects, the electronicaddress associated with the respective subject from the subject datastore. With this information, the first message is communicated to therespective electronic address of each subject in the first subset ofsubjects. Moreover, the computer system obtains, for each respectivesubject in the second subset of subjects, the electronic addressassociated with the respective subject from the subject data store. Theresponse computer system communicates the second message to the mobilerespective electronic address of each subject in the second subset ofsubjects. In some embodiments the response computer system furthertransmits one of a respective GPS position or respective RFID readerlocation of each responder in a plurality of responders to the firstsubset or the second subset of subjects.

In accordance with some embodiments, the response computer systemdisplays the visual position map, with a respective icon at the positionon the schematic of the closed environment of each subject bearing apassive RFID tag detected by at least one of the plurality of RFIDreaders. In some embodiments, this is done by segmenting the closedenvironment into partitions and the number of subjects in each partitionis shown on the schematic. In some embodiments, the position of eachRFID reader is shown on the map. In some embodiments, for securitypurposes, only some of the RFID readers are shown on the map. In someembodiments, responsive to a first event in the plurality of eventstranspiring, the response computer system displays on the schematicdiagram (i) a position of each RFID reader in at least a subset of theplurality of RFID readers and (ii) a position of the first event.

In accordance with some embodiments, responsive to receiving a signalfrom an RFID reader in the plurality of RFID readers that a subject hasmoved from a first position to a second position in the closedenvironment, the visual position map is updated by changing a positionof the icon corresponding to the subject to reflect the second position.For example, the schematic of the closed environment details a first andsecond room and a particular subject moves from the first room to asecond room and this movement is detected by one of the RFID readers. Inthis example, the visual position map is updated by changing a positionof the icon corresponding to the particular subject to reflect that theparticular subject is now in the second room. In some embodiments wherethe icon indicates the number of subjects in a partition (e.g., a room),and there are already subjects in the second room, a subject countindicator displayed on the map for the second room is incremented whenthe particular subject moves into the second room.

In accordance with some embodiments, when an event in the plurality ofevents transpires, the response computer system, responsive to theevent, transmits instructions for formatting, for display of the visualposition map, with a respective icon at the position on the schematicdiagram of the closed environment of each subject bearing a passive RFIDtag detected by at least one of the plurality of RFID readers and alocation of each RFID reader in the plurality of readers, on a remotecomputing device associated with a responder to the event. In someembodiments where the event is localized to a particular location in theclosed environment, the location on the map is further included in thevisual position map.

In accordance with some embodiments, the response computer systemreceives selection instructions that specify (i) a subset of the closedenvironment and (ii) a message for all subjects in the subset of theclosed environment. In such embodiments, the response computer systemidentifies the collection of subjects in the plurality of subjects thatare present in the subset of the closed environment by querying adatabase or other form of data structure representing the visualposition map for all subjects in the subset of the closed environment.Then, the response computer system obtains, for each respective subjectin the collection of subjects, the electronic address associated withthe respective subject from the subject data store and communicates themessage to these electronic addresses.

In accordance with some embodiments, each respective record in thesubject data store further includes a class label, in a plurality ofclass labels, associated with the corresponding subject. Further, afirst event instruction set in the event instruction set data storecorresponds to a first event and includes (i) a first communication thatis to be sent to a first subset of subjects in the plurality of subjectson the basis that they are associated with a first class label in theplurality of class labels and (ii) a second communication that is to besent to a second subset of subjects in the plurality of subjects on thebasis that they are associated with a second class label in theplurality of class labels. Moreover, the response computer system, inresponse to receiving an indication that the first event has occurred,obtains an identity of the first and second subset of subjects from thedata structure supporting the visual position map, obtains, for eachrespective subject in the first subset of subjects, the electronicaddress associated with the respective subject from the subject datastore and communicates the first communication to the electronic addressof each subject in the first subset of subjects. Further, the responsecomputer system obtains, for each respective subject in the secondsubset of subjects, the electronic address associated with therespective subject from the subject data store and communicates thesecond communication to the electronic address of each subject in thesecond subset of subjects. To illustrate, in some embodiments the firstclass label is associated with event responders (e.g., administratorsthat are responsible for the closed environment, emergency responsestaff, caretakers, etc.) and the second class label is associated withevent rescuees (e.g., employees, students, civilians, etc.).

In accordance with some embodiments, a first event instruction set inthe event instruction set data store corresponds to a first event andincludes a first communication that is to be sent to a first subject inthe plurality of subjects on the basis that (i) the first subject isassociated with a first class label in the plurality of class labels and(ii) an event has occurred. In such embodiments, the response computersystem, in response to receiving an indication that the first event hasoccurred, obtains an identity of the first subject from the visualposition map and/or the subject data store on the basis that the firstsubject has the first class label and obtains, for the first subject,the electronic address associated with the respective subject from thesubject data store. With this information, the response computer systemcommunicates the first communication to the electronic address of thefirst subject. In some embodiments, the first event is exceeding zonecapacity in a first zone in the closed environment and the firstcommunication is a warning to the first subject regarding the zonecapacity in the first zone. In some embodiments, this warning is sent toan administrator responsible for the first zone.

In accordance with some embodiments, the closed environment comprises aplurality of internal zones, and each respective RFID reader in a secondsubset of the plurality of RFID readers is positioned at an entry of aninternal zone in the plurality of internal zones. In some suchembodiments, a first internal zone in the plurality of internal zones ismonitored by a zone attendant and the instructions further cause theresponse computer system to determine an identity of each subject in thefirst internal zone from the visual position map and communicate theidentity of each subject in the first internal zone to a deviceassociated with the zone attendant.

In accordance with some embodiments, an authorized interrogator whitelist for a first subject in the plurality of subjects is maintained.This authorized interrogator white list includes, for each respectiveauthorized interrogator, an identity of the respective authorizedinterrogator and a remote device associated with the respectiveauthorized interrogator. Further, a remote interrogation request isreceived, across a data network, from an interrogator that is outsidethe plurality of subjects. The interrogation request includes anidentity of the interrogator and an identity of the first subject.Responsive to the interrogation request, the response computer systemdetermines, using the subject data store, whether the interrogator is inthe authorized interrogator white list for the first subject. When theinterrogator is in the authorized interrogator white list for the firstsubject, a location in the closed environment of the first subject isobtained and this location in the closed environment and is communicatedto the remote device associated with the interrogator that is in theauthorized interrogator white list. When the interrogator is not in theauthorized interrogator white list for the first subject, the locationin the closed environment of the first subject is not commutated to theremote device associated with the interrogator.

In accordance with some embodiments, the closed environment is awarehouse, a manufacturing facility, a refinery, a school, a businesscampus, a cruise ship, a subject transportation hub, a governmentfacility, a military installation, a conference center, a medical campusfacility, a correctional facility, a hotel, or a mine. In someembodiments, the closed environment includes one or more buildings andone or more predefined open areas (e.g., an office park, college campus,etc.).

In accordance with some embodiments, the passive RFID tag is in a badgecarried by or held by the subject. For instance, in some embodiments,the RFID tag is embodied in a card held (e.g., building entrance card orhotel key car) or carried by the subject. In some embodiments, the RFIDtag is in a wrist band carried by the subject.

In accordance with some embodiments, the subjects are humans. In someembodiments, the subjects are animals. In some embodiments, at leastsome of the subjects are chattels (e.g., portable equipment). In someembodiments, some of the subjects are humans and some of the subjectsare chattels.

In accordance with some embodiments, the response computer systemdisplays the visual position map with a respective icon at the positionon the schematic diagram of the closed environment of each subjectbearing a passive RFID tag detected by at least one of the plurality ofRFID readers. In such embodiments, the visual position map optionallyfurther displays on the schematic diagram at least a subset of the RFIDreaders in a plurality of the RFID readers, and optionally furtherdisplays a location of a first event in the plurality of events on theschematic diagram when the first event transpires. Further, the responsecomputer system receives selection instructions that specify (i) asubset of the closed environment and (ii) a message for all subjects inthe subset of the closed environment. The subset of the closedenvironment is identified by a user by selecting a corresponding portionof the displayed visual position map. The collection of subjects in theplurality of subjects that are present in the subset of the closedenvironment is identified by querying the visual position map for allsubjects in the subset of the closed environment. For each respectivesubject in the collection of subjects, the electronic address associatedwith the respective subject is obtained from the subject data store andthe message is communicated to the electronic address of each subject inthe collection of subjects.

In accordance with some embodiments, the response computer systemdisplays the visual position map with a respective icon at the positionon the schematic diagram of the closed environment of each subjectbearing a passive RFID tag detected by at least one of the plurality ofRFID readers. The visual position map optionally further displays on theschematic diagram at least a subset of the RFID readers in a pluralityof the RFID readers, and optionally further displays a location of afirst event in the plurality of events on the schematic diagram when thefirst event transpires. Further, the response computer system receivesselection instructions, the selection instructions specifying (i) asubset of the closed environment and (ii) a message for all subjects inthe subset of the closed environment. The subset of the closedenvironment is identified by a user by selecting a corresponding portionof the displayed visual position map. The response computer systemidentifies a responder or caretaker associated with the subset of theclosed environment and communicates the message to the responder orcaretaker.

In accordance with some embodiments, a first RFID reader in theplurality of RFID readers further comprises a second sensor, other thanan RFID sensor and the response computer system, responsive to receivingan indication of an event in a portion of the closed environmentassociated with the first RFID, remotely uses the second sensor toverify an occurrence of the event. For instance, in some embodiments theresponse computer system verifies that a fire has occurred by using asmoke detector in the first RFID reader. More generally, in someembodiments, the second sensor is a camera, a temperature sensor, anoise-level detector or a gas monitor. In some embodiments, the secondsensor is a proximity sensor that is used to detect a subject going bythe RFID sensor. In the event that the subject is not bearing an RFIDtag, this interaction event will be communicated to the responsecomputer system. This is useful in situations such as a vehicle passingthrough the main entry of a closed environment that is detected ashaving passed through, but no valid RFID tag is read. In this case theinteraction event (the event of the subject being within readingdistance of an RFID reader without bearing a suitable RFID tag) can bereported to the central station along with a license plate. In otherexamples, human subjects who pass through an entry/exit point but arenot in possession of a valid RFID tag are reported to the responsecomputer system because of the addition of the proximity sensor. In someembodiments, the proximity detector is used to detect subjectsindependently of the RFID sensor.

In accordance with some embodiments, the RFID reader status moduletransmits a status query signal to a respective RFID reader prior toobtaining a corresponding status signal. This corresponding statussignal is responsive to the status query signal. Further, the RFIDreader status module maintains an RFID reader data store for theplurality of RFID readers. The RFID reader data store comprises an RFIDreader health status, on a temporal basis, for each RFID reader in theplurality of RFID readers. Further, the RFID reader status modulemaintains an RFID reader corrective action data store comprising arespective RFID reader corrective action for each RFID reader healthcriterion in a plurality of RFID reader health criteria. In suchembodiments, the analyzing each respective status signal for the statusof the corresponding RFID reader further comprises sending a correctiveaction signal comprising a respective RFID reader corrective action toan RFID reader in the plurality of RFID readers when the RFID readerfails to satisfy an RFID health criterion in the plurality of RFIDreader health criteria. The respective RFID reader corrective action isobtained from the RFID reader corrective action data store.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system topology in accordance with the presentdisclosure that includes a response computer system, a plurality of RFIDreaders distributed across a closed environment, devices associated withsubjects that are being tracked, and devices that are associated withevent responders.

FIG. 2 illustrates a response computer system in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an RFID reader, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 4A illustrates a device associated with a subject that is supportedby the disclosed tracking services, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 4B illustrates a device associated with an event responder, systemadministrator, zone attendant and/or caretaker, in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F, 5G, and 5H collectively provide a flowchart of processes and features of a radio frequency identification(RFID) network for keeping track of a plurality of subjects in a closedenvironment in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a visual position map including a schematic diagramof a closed environment that includes multiple building and multipleopen spaces in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates a visual position map including a schematic diagramof a closed environment, with a respective icon at the position on theschematic diagram of each RFID reader in a plurality of RFID readers inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates a visual position map including a schematic diagramof a closed environment, with a respective icon at the position on theschematic diagram of each RFID reader in a plurality of RFID readers,and with an icon indicating the presence of a first subject bearing apassive RFID tag detected by at least one RFID reader in the pluralityof RFID readers in a first zone in the schematic diagram, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates the visual position map of FIG. 8, in which anadditional subject has been detected in the first zone by at least oneRFID reader in the plurality of RFID readers, in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 illustrates a visual position map including a schematic diagramof a closed environment, with a respective icon at the position on theschematic diagram of each RFID reader in a plurality of RFID readers,and further indicates that an alert has occurred and further indicatesthe location of the alert on the schematic diagram, in accordance withan embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 illustrates a visual position map including a schematic diagramof a closed environment, with a respective icon at the position on theschematic diagram of each RFID reader in a plurality of RFID readers,and further indicates a location of an alert on the schematic diagramand a location of a subject that has been detected by an RFID reader, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 illustrates a visual position map including a schematic diagramof a closed environment, with a respective icon at the position on theschematic diagram of each RFID reader in a plurality of RFID readers,and further indicates a location of an alert on the schematic diagram,and further indicates a report on the alert (threat note for fire), inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 illustrates a visual position map including a schematic diagramof a closed environment, with a respective icon at the position on theschematic diagram of each RFID reader in a plurality of RFID readers,and further indicates a location of an alert on the schematic diagram,and further indicates a status of each RFID reader in the plurality ofRFID readers, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 14 illustrates the visual position map of FIG. 13 when an RFIDreader icon has been selected, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detaileddescription, numerous specific details are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosuremay be practiced without these specific details. In other instances,well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks havenot been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspectsof the embodiments.

It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc.may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements shouldnot be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguishone element from another. For example, a first subject could be termed asecond subject, and, similarly, a second subject could be termed a firstsubject, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thefirst subject and the second subject are both subjects, but they are notthe same subject.

The terminology used in the present disclosure is for the purpose ofdescribing particular embodiments only and is not intended to belimiting of the invention. As used in the description of the inventionand the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or”as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possiblecombinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will befurther understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” whenused in this specification, specify the presence of stated features,integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do notpreclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groupsthereof.

As used herein, the term “if” may be construed to mean “when” or “upon”or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,” dependingon the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or “if [astated condition or event] is detected” may be construed to mean “upondetermining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting [thestated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [the statedcondition or event],” depending on the context.

A detailed description of a system 48 for tracking a plurality ofsubjects in a closed environment 236 in accordance with the presentdisclosure is described in conjunction with FIGS. 1 through 4B. As such,FIGS. 1 through 4B collectively illustrate the topology of the system inaccordance with the present disclosure. In the topology, there are aplurality of RFID readers 300 distributed across the closed environment236 (FIGS. 1 and 3), a response computer system 200 (FIGS. 1 and 2),devices 102 responsive to electronic addresses associated with subjectsto be tracked (FIGS. 1 and 3), devices 104 responsive to the electronicaddresses associated with event responders, system administrators, zoneattendant and/or caretakers (FIGS. 1 and 4), and optional controldevices 51 (e.g., emergency lights, oxygen valves, water sprinklers,door locks) that are controlled by response computer system 200 whenevents occur (FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the closed environment 236includes a plurality of entries. In some embodiments, the closedenvironment 236 includes only a single entry. In the case of the closedenvironment 236 illustrated in FIG. 1, the entries include an escalator50-1 and elevator shafts 50-2 through 50-5. In some embodiments, an RFIDreader is in a badge, a wrist band, a dosimeter, or a plastic card thatcan fit into a purse or wallet.

Of course, other topologies of system 48 are possible, for instance,response computer system 200 can in fact constitute several computersthat are linked together in a network or be a virtual machine in a cloudcomputing context. Further, some devices 102 and some devices 104 may bewithin the closed environment 236 while others are not in accordancewith situations in which some subjects tracked by system 48 and someresponders are in the closed environment at a given time while othersare not. However, for purposes of clarity solely to show some of thecomponents of a system topology in accordance with the presentdisclosure, devices 102 and 104 are shown external to the closedenvironment. However, in practice, as event respondents and subjectsbeing tracked enter the closed environment, devices 102/104 associatedwith such event responders and subjects will necessarily likewise enterthe closed environment. Moreover, in some embodiments, the responsecomputer system 200 is depicted in the closed environment. As such, theexemplary topology shown in FIG. 1 merely serves to describe thefeatures of an embodiment of the present disclosure in a manner thatwill be readily understood to one of skill in the art.

Advantageously, because of the minimalistic specifications imposed onthe disclosed RFID readers 300, they can be produced cheaply and placedin the closed environment 236 at strategic locations, such as proximateto the entrances 50 of every building in the closed environment. Then,as subjects bearing RFID tags pass by such RFID readers, the RFIDreaders 300 report such encounters to the response computer system 200.

In some embodiments, an RFID reader senses the proximity of an RFID tagbut does not ascertain whether the subject bearing the RFID tag isleaving or entering the closed premises. In some such embodiments, adetermination as to whether a subject is leaving or entering the closedenvironment is done on a logical basis. For instance, if the responsecomputer system 200 presently has a subject listed as within the closedenvironment and an RFID reader near an entry 50 reports an interaction(read) with the subject, then the response computer system 200 willconclude that the subject has left the closed environment. In someembodiments, this departure is confirmed by taking a GPS read of thecoordinates of the device 102 associated with the subject and confirmingthat these coordinates do not fall within the closed environment. Incontrast, if the response computer system 200 presently has a subjectlisted outside the closed environment and an RFID reader 300 near anentry 50 reports an interaction (read) with the subject (e.g., with theRFID tag associated with the subject), then the response computer system200 will conclude that the subject has entered the closed environment.In some embodiments, this arrival is confirmed by one or more furtherRFID reads from RFID readers 300 within the closed environment thatindicate that the subject has entered specific zones (e.g., rooms,buildings) within the closed environment.

In some embodiments, the RFID reader 300 includes two directionalantennae pointing in opposite directions in order to provide closedenvironment ingress/egress information. For instance, if a read byantenna A and then antenna B of the RFID reader 300 is made of thesubject, the subject is deemed to be entering the closed environment (ora zone thereof). Further, if a read by antenna B and then antenna A ofthe RFID reader 300 is made of the subject, the subject is deemed to beexiting the closed environment (or a zone thereof). In some embodiments,if a read by only one of the two antennas of an RFID reader 300 aremade, then the zone of the subject is not changed on the basis that thesubject merely approached the RFID reader but did not actually enter orleave the closed environment or a zone thereof. In some embodiments,sequential reads by the RFID reader 300 (e.g., antenna A and thenantenna B) are required and the call made by these sequential reads mustbe consistent with the current location status of the subject in theresponse computer system 200 in order to change the status of thesubject. For instance, in some embodiments, if a read by antenna A andthen antenna B of the RFID reader 300 are made of the subject, thesubject is deemed to be entering the closed environment, provided thatat the time this call was made, the response computer system 200 had thesubject recorded as not being within the closed environment. If thesubject was in fact already in the closed environment, an error isflagged and possibly secondary sensors, such as a video camera orproximity sensor are consulted and/or the status of the RFID reader isqueried to determine why the RFID reader 300 made an ingress/egressreading for a subject that is inconsistent with location data stored bythe response computer system 200 for the subject.

By tracking the ingress/egress history of each subject, the responsecomputer system 200 can ascertain when subjects enter the closedenvironment, which zone (e.g., building, building floor, etc.) in theclosed environment they are in and when subjects exit the closedenvironment. The information from the RFID readers is communicatedwirelessly, or via wire, to the response computer system 200 and theresponse computer system 200 graphically represents the data in the formof a visual position map. In this way, knowledge is obtained as to whereeverybody is inside the closed environment. Based on this locationinformation for the subjects, if there is an emergency or other form ofsignificant event, an event instruction set data store of the responsecomputer system 200 can specify what the emergency is on a controlpanel. In some embodiments, the control panel is transmitted to theelectronic address associated with each subject in the closedenvironment. In some embodiments, the control panel is transmitted toevent responders. In some embodiments, the control panel is displayed ona console associated with the response computer system 200 for viewingby a system administrator.

Moreover, advantageously, the instructions for response to an event canbe customized based on the nature of the event and the location of eachsubject within the closed environment (e.g., absolute location of eachsubject and/or the location of the subject relative to the event). So,for example, if there's a fire at location A in the closed environment,the message sent to a subject in a first zone in the closed environmentcan be different then the message sent to a subject in a second zone inthe closed environment. To illustrate, the message sent to subjects inthe first zone may be “Don't come into the zone second zone” while themessage sent to subjects in the second zone may be “Go this way becausethe fire is over here. Don't start running towards this exit, go thisway.” Thus, the disclosed system advantageously provide customized eventinstructions, down to the level of individualized instructions for eachsubject in the closed environment when warranted, based on the currentreal time location of each subject in the closed environment. In someembodiments, such messages are further customized by subject attributes,such as whether the subjects are managers, caretakers, disabled, and thelike.

As referenced above, the subject location information collected by theresponse computer system 200 from the RFID readers is available to eventresponders associated with devices 104. Such information includes thepositions of subjects in the closed environment 236, the total number ofsubjects in the closed environment, the identities of the subjects inthe closed environment, and the role of each subject in the closedenvironment (teacher, student, patient, armed guard, plant worker, plantmanager, hotel manager, miner, etc.).

As referenced above, the response computer system 200 serves as acentral place from which individual messages can be sent to selectpeople, or groups of people, within the closed environment. In one suchexample, emergency personal responding to a robbery taking place in theclosed environment or in the vicinity of the closed environment mayquery for an armed guard in the closed environment using the responsecomputer system and, if such an armed guard is identified, use theresponse computer system 200 to send a message to the armed guard butnot to anybody else in the closed environment. Accordingly, the responsecomputer system 200 can be used to send messages manually whenwarranted. Moreover, in some instances and responsive to an event or aset of events, predetermined instruction sets can be used to notifysubjects, based on event type(s) (e.g., emergency type), of the event bysending messages to the subjects. In some embodiments, the compositionof these messages is different for each of the different locationsacross the closed environment, and even outside the closed environment.In some embodiments, the composition of these messages is furtherdifferentiated based on subject role. For example, in the case where theclosed environment is a school, the response computer system may sendteachers in the school additional instructions, in accordance with anevent instruction set, in the form of additional reminders such as“check the classroom to make sure there's nobody under a desk.” In somesuch embodiments, the children in the teacher's classroom are given noinstructions directly by the response computer system (e.g., when thechildren are too young to comprehend such instructions from anelectronic device and/or the school prohibits the students frompossessing devices 102), and all instructions are given to the teacherby the response computer system with the expectation that the studentswill follow the teacher's instructions.

In some embodiments, the response computer system 200 is used to send anaerial drone to a site of the event in response to the event.

In some embodiments, an aerial drone (also interchangeably referred toas “unmanned aerial vehicles” (UAV), “remotely piloted aircraft” (RPA),and “drone devices”) are robotic aircraft that do not have human pilotsaboard. In some embodiments, aerial drones execute control commands thatinclude or correspond to instructions and parameters for a flightpattern (e.g., flight line/path, speed, altitude, etc.). In someembodiments, aerial drones are autonomous and execute pre-programmedflight patterns. Additionally and/or alternatively, the aerial drone maybe controlled in real-time by a user (e.g., via response computer system200) through detected user inputs or generated controls commands.Control commands may be received by the aerial drones from mounteddevices (e.g., remote computer system 200), or directly from one or moreremote devices (e.g., devices 104). In some embodiments, aerial dronesinclude one or more processors and memory storing instructions (e.g.,received control commands, pre-programmed flight patterns, flightinstructions, etc.) for execution by the one or more processors. In someembodiments, the aerial drones are powered by one or more electricmotors. In some embodiments, the aerial drones are powered by one ormore motors that run on fossil fuel. In some embodiments, the aerialdrones are powered by one or more motors that run on fossil fuel and oneor more electric motors.

In some embodiments, one or more storage locations within the closedenvironment and/or one or more storage locations proximate (e.g., within100 feet, within 100 yards, within 500 yards) to the closed environmentare used to store one or more aerial drones that are in electroniccommunication with the response computer system 200. For instance, insome embodiments, the one or more aerial drones are stored on a chargingpad of the kind disclosed in PCT Application No. PCT/WP2015/050901entitled “Charging Apparatus and Method for Electrically Charging EnergyStorage Devices,” to Skysense, Inc. published as WO 2015/107199 A1,which is hereby incorporated by reference. Accordingly, advantageously,in some embodiments the disclosed aerial drone is charged by simplylanding on the charging pad.

In some embodiments the aerial drone has a rechargeable energy storagedevice such as a rechargeable battery in electrical communication withat least two counter contacts at the bottom of the drone. In someembodiments the aerial drone has a rechargeable energy storage devicesuch as a rechargeable battery in electrical communication with fourcounter contacts at the bottom of the drone. In such embodiments, thecharging pad comprises a plurality of area-wise distributed chargingcontacts which are insulated against each other or against neighboringcharging contacts and are connectable with the at least two countercontacts when the aerial drone lands on the pad. The charging contactsare connected with a control unit and electrical switches for wiringinto a right polarity for the rechargeable energy storage devicecharging process. In some such embodiments, the charging contacts are inthe form of a rectangle, triangle, square or hexagonal shape.Accordingly, in some such embodiments, the one or more aerial drones arerecharged while at these one or more storage locations.

In some embodiments, the one or more aerial drones are charged andstored in hangers while at the one or more storage locations. Forinstance, in some embodiments, the one or more aerial drones are storedon a charging pad within a hanger that has a retractable entryway of thekind disclosed in PCT Application No. PCT/WP2015/050901 entitled“Charging Apparatus and Method for Electrically Charging Energy StorageDevices,” to Skysense, Inc., published as WO 2015/107199 A1, which ishereby incorporated by reference.

Using the above disclosed charging stations, the present disclosureencompasses embodiments in which all aspects of aerial drone maintenanceand recharging are fully automated in order to provide a single aerialdrone or a fleet of aerial drones for emergency response or forsurveillance of the closed environment.

In some embodiments the response computer system 200 dispatches anaerial drone in response to an event to the identified location of theevent within the closed environment. In some such embodiments the aerialdrone comprises a camera and communicates imagery from the location ofthe event back to the response computer system 200. In some embodimentsthis imagery is forwarded to event responders. In some embodiments thisimagery is opened as an additional panel alongside the visual positionmap.

In some embodiments the response computer system 200 dispatches anaerial drone in response to an event to the identified location of theevent within the closed environment. In some such embodiments the aerialdrone comprises a loudspeaker and a microphone and communicatesinstructions to the subjects or event responders present at the eventlocation. For instance, the aerial drone may broadcast updates on rescueefforts or specific instructions on how to address the event.

In some embodiments the response computer system 200 dispatches anaerial drone in response to an event to the identified location of theevent within the closed environment. In some such embodiments the aerialdrone comprise an RFID reader 300 in wireless electronic communicationwith the response computer system 200 to determine an identity of eachof the subjects bearing RFID tags in one more parts of the closedenvironment. In some such embodiments the RFID reader on the drone actsto supplement the network of stationary RFID readers. For instance, suchaerial drones can be sent to portions of the closed environment thatlack an RFIC reader or in which the RFID reader is not working in orderto determine which subjects are in such portions of the closedenvironment. In some such embodiments, the aerial drones are manuallydispatched for this purpose.

In some embodiments the one or more aerial drones each include an RFIDtag so that their positions are picked up by the RFID readers 300 in theclosed environment. Moreover, in some embodiments, the RFID readers 300communicate the position of the one or more aerial drones to thecomputer system 200 and the positions of the one or more aerial dronesare reported on the visual position map.

In some embodiments the one or more aerial drones each include a GPSfunctionality that is used to communicate the position of the one ormore aerial drones to the computer system 200 (in instances where thedrones are outdoors). In some such embodiments, the positions of the oneor more aerial drones are reported on the visual position map.

In some embodiments, the aerial drone looks for a nefarious subject atthe event location using live video from a camera on the aerial drone.In some embodiments, the aerial drone sends the live video to theresponse computer 200 and/or to a remote computing device associatedwith a responder asking for verification as to whether to detain thesubject. Upon receiving an election to detain the subject from a user ofthe response computer 200, the aerial drone drops into fully autonomousmode where it detains the subject until event responders arrive. In somesuch embodiments, the aerial drone has the ability to stun the subjectwith a bolt of high voltage electricity (e.g. 80,000 volts) to renderthem incapacitated. In some such embodiments, the aerial drone has theability to act in a kamikaze manner and crash into the nefarioussubject. As such, the response computer system 200, working with eventresponders or the response computer system 200 administrator, is able tochase and detain one or more suspects remotely.

In some embodiments, the aerial drone looks for nefarious subjects atthe event location using live video from a camera on the aerial drone.In some such embodiments, the aerial drone sends the live video to theresponse computer 200 and/or to a remote computing device associatedwith a responder asking for verification as to whether to proceed with acontainment protocol. What is sought is a scenario in which the locationof a nefarious subject has been identified and other subjects are not inthe vicinity. Upon receiving instructions to proceed with thecontainment protocol, the aerial drone drops into fully autonomous modewhere it drops a smoke bomb in the location of the nefarious subject.

In some embodiments, the response computer system 200 dispatches one ormore aerial drones to execute a surveillance protocol, a containmentprotocol, and/or a rescue protocol within the closed environment. Forinstance, in some embodiments the response computer system 200 directsone or more drones to execute a rescue protocol. One example of a rescueprotocol is dispatching an aerial drone, responsive to an event, to theidentified location of the event within the closed environment. Anotherexample of a rescue protocol is having the aerial drone serve as a guideto first responders. To illustrate, in response to an event (e.g.,explosion, fire, etc.) one or more drones are automatically dispatchedto one or more entrances of the closed environment to await the arrivalof rescue personnel or other first responders. In some embodiments, suchaerial drones are equipped with sensors to detect when such firstresponders arrive. Such sensors are application specific, and caninclude by way of example, a video camera in electronic communicationwith response computer system 200, an RFID reader in electroniccommunication with response computer system 200 to sense RFID tags wornby the first responders, and/or a microphone that accepts verbalcommands from first responders. In some embodiments, such aerial dronesare not equipped with sensors specific to detection of when such firstresponders arrive but rather an operator associated with responsecomputer system 200 is notified when such first responders have arrivedand notifies the one or more aerial drones to proceed to the location ofthe event once the first responders have arrived. In such embodiments,rescue personnel or other first responders will follow the low flyingdrone to the location of the event. Advantageously, in some embodiments,an aerial drone is sent to each of a plurality of closed environmententrances to await first responder in situations where it is not knownwhich entrance first responders will arrive at first. In someembodiments, the network of one or more RFID readers is used to alertresponse computer system 200 when a first responder has arrived, inresponse to an event, and then one or more aerial drone are summoned tothe arrival location of the first responders identified by the RFIDreaders in order to use the drones to guide the first responders to thesite of the event.

In some embodiments, the aerial drones navigate within the closedenvironment (e.g. to the site of the event) autonomously using, forinstance, the combination of (i) signals sent to the aerial drone by thenetwork of RFID readers or other stationary emitters in the closedenvironment whose locations are known, (ii) a schematic diagram of theclosed environment, and (iii) a reported location of the event. Forinstance, in such embodiments, the aerial drones can triangulate itscoordinates on an ongoing basis in the closed environment using thesignals sent from known locations in the closed environment (RFIDreaders, stationary 802.11 routers, cell phone base towers, etc.) anduse this as a basis to guide the first responders to the event. Inembodiments where the closed environment is outdoors or otherwise has areliable GPS signal, the aerial drone can use the GPS signal to navigateto desired locations in the closed environment.

In some embodiments, each of the one or more aerial drones has an RFIDtag and the network of one or more RFID readers is used to pinpoint thelocation of the aerial drones within the closed environment. In somesuch embodiments, the response computer system 200 uses this locationinformation to direct the aerial drones to desired locations within theclosed environment. In some embodiments, the aerial drones include oneor more gyroscopes and or accelerometers and data from these instrumentsis communicated to the response computer system 200 for the purpose ofpinpointing not only the location of the drones but also to determinetheir velocity. In some embodiments, data from both the network of RFIDreaders and the gyroscope/accelerometer input is used by the responsecomputer system 200 to determine the locations of the one or more aerialdrones and thus provide navigation instructions to the drones.

In some embodiments, the rescue protocol comprises dispatching a firstaerial drone to the event in order to provide assistance at the firstevent while a second aerial drone is dispatched to the entrance of theclosed environment to serve as a “follow me” guide to first response.

In some embodiments, the rescue protocol comprises dispatching one ormore first aerial drones to positions in an exit route from the closedenvironment. Upon arrival at such positions by one or subjects in theplurality of subjects, the one or more drones guide the one or moresubjects along the exit route. In this case, subjects in danger canfollow the drones to get out of the dangerous situations. In someembodiments, such drones are equipped with speakers (or loudspeakers) toprovide verbal instructions as well. In some embodiments, such dronesare equipped with video cameras in electronic communication with theresponse computer system to provide an update on exis progress. In someembodiments, such drones are equipped with lights in order to light upthe exit path.

In some embodiments the response computer system 200 dispatches anaerial drone in response to an event to the identified location of theevent within the closed environment. In some such embodiments the aerialdrone comprises one or more sensors such as a temperature sensor,noise-level detector, gas monitor, air flow meter, humidity sensor,pressure sensor, chemical sensor (e.g., smoke sensor, carbon monoxidesensor) and/or radiation sensor and communicates data from the one ormore sensors to the response computer 200 and/or to a remote computingdevice associated with a responder. In some embodiments, the sensor is asmoke detector and the aerial drone is used to detect the location ofsmoke. In some such embodiments, the aerial drone uses the one or moresensors to map out a safe passage routes out of the closed environmentand to communicate these passage routes to subjects, event respondersand/or the response computer system 200. For instance, consider the caseof a mine with several shafts and escape routes. In such embodiments,the aerial drone is used to traverse each possible escape route todetermine whether it is smoke free. In some such embodiments, the aerialdrone transmits an aerial view of each potential escape route forconfirmation by an event responder at a remote location.

In some embodiments, the sensor is a radiation sensor and the aerialdrone is used to detect the location of radiation. In some suchembodiments, the aerial drone is used to map out a safe passages routeout of the closed environment and to communicate these passage routes tosubjects, event responders and/or the response computer system 200. Forinstance, consider the case of a nuclear reactor with several shafts andescape routes. In such embodiments, the aerial drone is used to traverseeach possible escape route to determine whether it is radiation free. Insuch embodiments, the aerial drone transmits an aerial view of eachpotential escape route for confirmation by an event responder at aremote location.

In some embodiments the response computer system 200 dispatches anaerial drone in response to an event to the identified location of theevent within the closed environment. In some such embodiments the aerialdrone comprises a wireless 802.11 router to enable wirelesscommunication between the devices associated with subjects in the closedenvironment and the response computer system 200. This is usefulinstances where there has been a power outage and/or the cellularsignals in the closed environment are impaired.

What has been described is just one level of automation made possible bythe response computer system 200, where the response computer executes apredetermined set of instructions in accordance with an eventinstruction set, responsive to detection of a single event. However, insome embodiments, multi-layered, multi-factorial instructions sets areimplemented responsive to the concurrent occurrence of one or moreevents, two or more events, or three or more events. Suchmulti-factorial instruction sets can address scenarios in which thereis, for example, a fire in one location, an explosion in a secondlocation, and a shooter in a third location in the closed environment.In such a scenario, the response computer system 200 determines theappropriate response for each subject in the closed environment on anindividual or groupwise basis as well as appropriate messages,information and directions for response personnel.

In a further level of automation, in some embodiments, the system 48 isinstalled with optional control devices 51 that are controlled by theinstructions sets of the response computer system 200 when events occurand further, in some embodiments the RFID sensors 300 include additionalsensors for noise, chemicals, light, or other forms of stimuli. Suchtopologies allow for multifaceted response to events.

In one example, when a gunshot is heard, the instructions sets of theresponse computer system proceed to automatically execute, without theneed for human intervention, an instruction set that calls for locking adoor (using a regulated control device 51), generating a 911 emergencycall, and sending a text message to subjects in the closed environmentdetailing what action to take responsive to the gunshot (e.g., takecover, hide, escape). Furthermore, in the case of a school, informationis sent to the electronic address of the teachers so that the teacherscan see immediately who is missing from their class and/or the locationof each student in their class. Moreover, parents of such students canuse the response computer system, based on their authentication andauthority level, to determine the location of their children. Forinstance, if a child left the school at 11 A.M. on a given Tuesday, suchinformation is reported to the parent upon interrogation of the responsecomputer system 200. In some embodiments, the parents are able to set upalerts within the computer system 200 so that they are notified whenevertheir children arrive at the closed environment or leave the closedenvironment. In some embodiments, caretakers that are on the white listof a given subject are able to set up alerts within the computer system200 so that they are notified whenever their subject arrives at theclosed environment or leave the closed environment.

In another example, when a gunshot is heard, the instructions sets ofthe response computer system proceed to automatically execute, withoutthe need for human intervention, an instruction set that calls fordispatching an aerial drone to the location where the gunshot occurred,generating a 911 emergency call, and sending a text message to subjectsin the closed environment detailing what action to take responsive tothe gunshot (e.g., take cover, hide, escape). In some embodiments, theaerial drone captures footage of the location in the closed environmentand transmits it to the response computer system 200 for remotedetermination of the status of the event. In some embodiments, asdiscussed above, the aerial drone executes a containment strategy suchas buzzing a nefarious subject at the event location, dropping a smokebomb at the event location, and/or zapping a nefarious subject at theevent location with a high voltage.

Thus, in addition to handling emergency response or other forms ofevents, the disclosed systems can handle functions such as roll call,determining if there are subjects missing from the closed environment,traditional time and attendance, closed environment load balancing, andcontainment of nefarious subjects.

An illustration of close environment load balancing is exhibited by anexample situation in which a closed environment has two functionallyequivalent cafeterias and the response computer system 200 determinesthat there are substantially more subjects at one cafeteria than at theother cafeteria. In this illustration, the response computer system 200can advise subjects as they approach the overcrowded cafeteria, or themanager of the overcrowded cafeteria, of the current availability of thesecond less crowded cafeteria.

Another example of services the disclosed system provides in someembodiments is in the case of room capacity or, more generally, zonecapacity. If the number of subjects in a zone in the closed environment(e.g., a room) goes above capacity, an alert is sent that says thecapacity of the zone is exceeded. The recipient of this alert isapplication dependent. In some applications, the alert is sent to othersubjects that are in the vicinity of the zone and thus are likely aboutto enter the overcrowded zone. In such an application, an example alertmight say “go to the overflow room.” In other applications, the alertgoes to the safety officer in charge of the zone, so that the safetyofficer may ensure that enough subjects leave the zone to bring the zoneback into capacity compliance.

In some embodiments, the RFID information obtained by the RFID readers300 is supplemented with GPS information when such information isobtainable. For instance, in some embodiments when subjects leave theclosed environment, their associated devices 102 automatically send GPSinformation to the response computer system 200 on a recurring basis sothat the response computer system 200 can track the subjects outside ofthe closed environment.

The disclosed systems are highly advantageous from the perspective ofemergency responders as well. When first responders show up at a closedenvironment, such as a school or a factory, where there has been anincident (event), they typically have insufficient information as to thelocation of subjects within the closed environment in conventionalsituations. The disclosed systems address such shortcomings by providingan application for devices 104 that will provide not only a schematic ofwhere things are and where the subjects are but, in some embodiments,will also provide information on who these subjects are (e.g., theiridentities), and/or what roles the subjects play (e.g., students versusteachers, patients versus medical staff, any disabilities the subjecthave, etc.). In one example, the information provided to the devices 104of the first responders details how there is a fire in warehousebuilding three, that there are twelve subject in that warehouse and theidentity of each of the subjects in the building. As such, in someembodiments, the first-responders are not only given electronic mapsshowing the real time location of subjects within the closedenvironment, they actually receive a level of information that istypically not available before entering into a closed environment. Inthis way, the disclosed system is able to give first respondersintelligence to enable them to execute whatever strategy makes the mostsense responsive to a given event. In some embodiments, one or moreaerial drones dispatched by the response computer system 200 providethese first responders with live aerial footage of locations of interestwithin the closed environment.

Moreover, in some embodiments, the disclosed systems provide reversecommunication. That is, the subjects within the closed environment areinformed of the proximity and/or location of first responders. In thisway, the subjects, particularly if they are trapped or disabled, can beupdated on the status of efforts to save them in real time. Suchinformation advantageously reduces panic among the trapped or disabledsubjects within the closed environment.

The disclosed systems are further advantageous because parents or otherpeople that have a caretaker relationship with subjects in the closedenvironment can use the disclosed systems to determine whether theirsubjects are still in the closed environment or have already gotten outsafely. This prevents a lot of confusion and problems in emergenciesbecause such caretakers are less likely to show up at the closedenvironment and interfere with rescue operations because they alreadyknow that their subjects have gotten out of the closed environmentsafely.

Referring to FIG. 2, in typical embodiments, a response computer system200 comprises one or more computers. For purposes of illustration inFIG. 2, the response computer system 200 is represented as a singlecomputer that includes all of the functionality of the response computersystem 200. However, the disclosure is not so limited. The functionalityof the response computer system 200 may be spread across any number ofnetworked computers and/or reside on each of several networked computersand/or by hosted on one or more virtual machines at a remote locationaccessible across the communications network 106. One of skill in theart will appreciate that a wide array of different computer topologiesare possible for the response computer system 200 and all suchtopologies are within the scope of the present disclosure.

Turning to FIG. 2 with the foregoing in mind, an exemplary responsecomputer system 200 comprises one or more processing units (CPU's) 274,a network or other communications interface 284, a memory 192 (e.g.,random access memory), one or more magnetic disk storage and/orpersistent devices 290 optionally accessed by one or more controllers288, one or more communication busses 112 for interconnecting theaforementioned components, and a power supply 276 for powering theaforementioned components. Data in memory 192 can be seamlessly sharedwith non-volatile memory 290 using known computing techniques such ascaching. Memory 192 and/or memory 290 can include mass storage that isremotely located with respect to the central processing unit(s) 274. Inother words, some data stored in memory 192 and/or memory 290 may infact be hosted on computers that are external to response computersystem 200 but that can be electronically accessed by the responsecomputer system over an Internet, intranet, or other form of network orelectronic cable (illustrated as element 106 in FIG. 2) using networkinterface 284.

The memory 192 of response computer system 200 stores:

-   -   an operating system 202 that includes procedures for handling        various basic system services;    -   a tracking module 204 for tracking a plurality of subjects as        they enter and leave a closed environment 236 with a plurality        of entries 50, and as they enter and leave zones (e.g., rooms,        buildings, mine shafts) within the closed environment that are        gated by RFID readers;    -   a sensor data store 206 that includes, for each respective RFID        reader 300 in a plurality of RFID readers, a location (position)        212 in the closed environment 236 of the respective RFID reader,        a unique reader identifier 208 of the respective RFID reader,        and, optionally, a status 210 of the RFID reader;    -   a subject data store 214, the subject data store comprising a        respective record of each corresponding subject 216 in a        plurality of subjects tracked by the disclosed systems, each        respective record including (i) a history 218 of ingress into        and egress from the closed environment 236 by the corresponding        subject, the history 218 further including in some embodiments        ingress and egress from defined partitions within the closed        environment, (ii) one or more electronic addresses 220        associated with the corresponding subject, (iii) a unique        subject identifier 224 associated with the corresponding        subject, (iv), optionally, emergency contact information 222 for        the corresponding subject, and (v), optionally, an authorized        interrogator white list 225 for the corresponding subject;    -   an event instruction set data store 226 comprising a plurality        of event instructions sets 232, each respective event        instruction set 232 in the event instruction set data store 226        corresponding to an event 228 in a plurality of events, or a        subset of events in the plurality of events, and optionally        including an event contact list 230;    -   a visual position map module 234 for maintaining a visual        position map, the visual position map comprising a respective        position, on a schematic diagram 236 of the closed environment,        of each subject 216 bearing a passive RFID tag detected by at        least one of the plurality of RFID readers 300, the visual        position map including a plurality of zones 238, and for each        respective zone 238 a listing or other information construct        (e.g., icon) identifying the subjects in the respective zone        240, an identity of the RFID readers 300 in or gating the        respective zone 242, and the events occurring in the respective        zone 244;    -   an optional RFID reader status module 246 that maintains an RFID        reader status of each RFID reader 300 in the plurality of RFID        readers and that receives, on a recurring basis, a respective        status signal from each respective RFID reader in the plurality        of RFID readers, where the respective status signal indicates a        status of the respective RFID reader, the reader status module        246 further including instructions for analyzing each respective        status signal for the status of the corresponding RFID reader        and, based on this analysis, determining an RFID corrective        action in consultation with an RFID reader corrective action        data store 248.

In some implementations, one or more of the above identified dataelements or modules of the response computer system 200 are stored inone or more of the previously mentioned memory devices, and correspondto a set of instructions for performing a function described above. Theabove identified data, modules or programs (e.g., sets of instructions)need not be implemented as separate software programs, procedures ormodules, and thus various subsets of these modules may be combined orotherwise re-arranged in various implementations. In someimplementations, the memory 192 and/or 290 optionally stores a subset ofthe modules and data structures identified above. Furthermore, in someembodiments the memory 192 and/or 206 stores additional modules and datastructures not described above.

Turning to FIG. 3, in typical embodiments, an RFID reader 300 comprises:

-   -   one or more processing units (CPU's) 304;    -   a network or other communications interface 305;    -   a memory 307;    -   an optional user interface 306, the optional user interface 306        including a display 308 and a keyboard or keypad or other data        entry device 310;    -   an RFID sensor 326;    -   an antenna 309 for facilitating ultra high frequency RFID in        which power is transmitted in the form of a radio frequency to        passive device RFID tags in the vicinity of the RFID reader        (e.g., up to forty feet away) thereby powering such tags and for        receiving responsive signals back from such RFID tags;    -   optionally, one or more secondary sensors 328 (e.g., cameras,        temperature sensors, noise-level detectors, gas monitors, air        flow meters, humidity sensors, pressure sensors, torque sensors,        traffic sensors, vibration sensors, smoke sensors, etc.);    -   one or more communication busses 312 for interconnecting the        aforementioned components;    -   a power supply 324 for powering the aforementioned components;        and    -   a battery 325 that serves as auxiliary back-up power.

Typically, an RFID reader 300 comprises an RFID tag reader module 330for driving the RFID sensor 326 to read a unique subject identifier 224from a passive RFID tag in the possession of a corresponding subject 216from a distance between the passive RFID tag and the RFID reader of upto forty feet.

In typical embodiments, the RFID tag, also known as a transponder, is apassive tag meaning that it has no power source attached to it and itharvests power for its operation from the incident electromagnetic fieldtransmitted by the RFID reader 300. In typical embodiments, the RFID tagcomprises Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) that areattached to a tag antenna. These ASICs are used to harvest energy fromthe antenna, communicate information to the RFID reader through the tagantenna and store information for later recovery, such as the unique tagidentifier associated with the RFID tag. See “Radio FrequencyIdentification from System to Applications,” ed. Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz,2003, ISBN 978-953-51-1143-6, Chapter 7, “Design of a Zeroth OrderResonator UHF RFID Passive Tag Antenna with Capacitive Loaded CoplanarWaveguide Structures,” by Muhammad Mubeen Masud and Benjamin D. Braaten,which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The RFID reader 300 emits an electromagnetic field which contains powerand timing information for used by the passive RFID tag. If the RFID tagcomes within range of the RFID reader 300, it receives the informationfrom the RFID reader 300 which is fed to the RFID ASICs, and in responsethe ASIC switches it impedance states between a lower and a higher valuein a predetermined fashion. In so doing the tag ASICs change the radarcross-section (RCS) of the tag antenna thus changing the backscatteredpower. This backscattered power is collected at the RFID reader 300 andis used for tag identification and information. The maximum distance forwhich an RFID reader 300 can successfully identify an RFID tag is termeda max read range. In some embodiments, the max read range is greaterthan 4 feet, greater than 8 feet, greater than 12 feet, and/or less than40 feet.

Advantageously, in some embodiments, the RFID tags of the presentdisclosure include additional encrypted information, typically stored inone or more ASICs. This information is used to ensure the identity ofthe RFID tags and serves to prevent nefarious copying of the informationin RFID tags with the intent of making counterfeit tags. In someembodiments, this information is encrypted using public key/private keyencryption to prevent counterfeit RFID tags. Moreover, in someembodiments the additional information that is stored in encrypted formin the RFID tags serves functional roles, such as informing the RFIDreader 300 of an RFID's tag data bank capacity, RFID tag attributes(wrist band, ID card, insert, etc.), a data format identifier, the tagissuing entity for the RFID, the date the RFID tag was issued, the RFIDtag type, the asset identifier (e.g., for tags associated with assetsrather than human subjects) that is uniquely associated with the RFIDtag, special privileges (including privilege identifiers and whether thecorresponding subject has these privileges) associated with thecorresponding subject, whether or not extended information is present onthe RFID tag, extended information format ID, extended information size,and extended information content. In this way, highly secure systems areestablished in which RFID readers 300 read encrypted identifyinginformation from RFID tags.

In some embodiments, device 102 includes a UHF RFID reader and one ormore applications running in the memory of the device 102 that use theUHF RFID reader to simulate an UHF RFID tag. In such embodiments, theapplication stores the encrypted information referenced above includinga unique RFID tag identifier. Thus, in some embodiments, the RFID tagassociated with an individual subject is in the same device 102associated with the individual subject.

Typically, each RFID reader 300 has a unique reader identifier 210.Moreover, the RFID reader 300 typically further comprises a responsecomputer system communication module 334 for providing the responsecomputer system 200 with indication data encompassing the ingress oregress of subjects 216 bearing such passive RFID tags through entries 50in the plurality of entries of the closed environment, the indicationdata including (i) the unique subject identifier 224 read off thepassive RFID tag in the possession of a subject 216 and (ii) the uniquereader identifier 210 of the RFID reader 300. In some embodiments, theresponse computer system communication module 334 further provides theresponse computer system 200 with indication data encompassing theingress or egress of subjects 216 bearing such passive RFID tags intozones within the closed environment, the indication data including (i)the unique subject identifier 224 read off the passive RFID tag in thepossession of a subject 216 and (ii) the unique reader identifier 210 ofthe RFID reader 300.

Typically, each RFID reader 300 has an RFID reader status module 336that polls for the status of the RFID reader 300. Examples of readerhealth status include, but are not limited to, antenna 309 orientation(e.g., correct, incorrect, etc.), reader connectivity (e.g., connected,lost network 106 connectivity, unreliable connectivity to network 106,etc.), reader authentication failure, reader software version (allmodules up to date, modules out of date, etc.), reader software upgradesuccess status (e.g., successful, not successful, etc.), reader commandresponse failure, reader power status (e.g., reader being powered byback up battery 325, reader power ok, reader battery 325 critically low,reader battery 325 not charging), reader lost read data in buffer due tobad connection (buffer overflow), reader critical software errorfollowed by error code (e.g., divide by zero), last reader power downungraceful, duplicate reader IP address, and reader does not have anassigned location in sensor data store 206 (e.g., reader not fullyregistered).

Typically, each RFID reader 300 has an RFID corrective action processingmodule 338 that implements corrective action instructions received fromthe response computer system 200. In embodiments where the RFID reader300 includes one or more secondary sensors 328, there are correspondingRFID secondary sensor drivers 340 to control the sensors 328 and acquiredata from them for communication to the response computer system 200.

In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4A, a device 102 responsive to anelectronic address 220 of subject 216 is a smart phone (e.g., aniPHONE), laptop, tablet computer, desktop computer, or other form ofelectronic device (e.g., a gaming console). However, any device that canreceive text messages will suffice as a device 102. In some embodiments,a device 102 is not mobile. In some embodiments, a device 102 is mobile.FIG. 4A provides a description of a device 102 that can be used with theinstant disclosure. It has one or more processing units (CPU's) 402,peripherals interface 470, memory controller 468, a network or othercommunications interface 420, a memory 407 (e.g., random access memory),a user interface 406, the user interface 406 including a display 408 andinput 410 (e.g., keyboard, keypad, touch screen), an optionalaccelerometer 417, an optional GPS 419, optional audio circuitry 472, anoptional speaker 460, an optional microphone 462, one or more optionalintensity sensors 464 for detecting intensity of contacts on the device102 (e.g., a touch-sensitive surface such as a touch-sensitive displaysystem 408 of the device 102), optional input/output (I/O) subsystem466, one or more optional optical sensors 472, one or more communicationbusses 412 for interconnecting the aforementioned components, and apower system 418 for powering the aforementioned components. In someembodiments, the input 410 is a touch-sensitive display, such as atouch-sensitive surface. In some embodiments, the user interface 406includes one or more soft keyboard embodiments. The soft keyboardembodiments may include standard (QWERTY) and/or non-standardconfigurations of symbols on the displayed icons.

Device 102 optionally includes, in addition to accelerometer(s) 417, amagnetometer (not shown) and a GPS 419 (or GLONASS or other globalnavigation system) receiver for obtaining information concerning thelocation and orientation (e.g., portrait or landscape) of device 102.

It will be appreciated that device 102 is only one example of amultifunction device, and that device 102 optionally has more or fewercomponents than shown, optionally combines two or more components, oroptionally has a different configuration or arrangement of thecomponents. The various components shown in FIG. 4A are implemented inhardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, including one ormore signal processing and/or application specific integrated circuits.

Memory 407 optionally includes high-speed random access memory andoptionally also includes non-volatile memory, such as one or moremagnetic disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or othernon-volatile solid-state memory devices. Access to memory 407 by othercomponents of device 102, such as CPU(s) 407 is, optionally, controlledby memory controller 468.

Peripherals interface 470 can be used to couple input and outputperipherals of the device to CPU(s) 402 and memory 407. The one or moreprocessors 402 run or execute various software programs and/or sets ofinstructions stored in memory 407 to perform various functions fordevice 102 and to process data.

In some embodiments, peripherals interface 470, CPU(s) 402, and memorycontroller 468 are, optionally, implemented on a single chip. In someother embodiments, they are, optionally, implemented on separate chips.

RF (radio frequency) circuitry 108 of network interface 420 receives andsends RF signals, also called electromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 108converts electrical signals to/from electromagnetic signals andcommunicates with communications networks and other communicationsdevices via the electromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 420 optionallyincludes well-known circuitry for performing these functions, includingbut not limited to an antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or moreamplifiers, a tuner, one or more oscillators, a digital signalprocessor, a CODEC chipset, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card,memory, and so forth. RF circuitry 108 optionally communicates withnetworks 106. In some embodiments, circuitry 108 does not include RFcircuitry and, in fact, is connected to network 106 through one or morehard wires (e.g., an optical cable, a coaxial cable, or the like).

Examples of networks 106 include, but are not limited to, the World WideWeb (WWW), an intranet and/or a wireless network, such as a cellulartelephone network, a wireless local area network (LAN) and/or ametropolitan area network (MAN), and other devices by wirelesscommunication. The wireless communication optionally uses any of aplurality of communications standards, protocols and technologies,including but not limited to Global System for Mobile Communications(GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), high-speed downlink packetaccess (HSDPA), high-speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), Evolution,Data-Only (EV-DO), HSPA, HSPA+, Dual-Cell HSPA (DC-HSPDA), long termevolution (LTE), near field communication (NFC), wideband code divisionmultiple access (W-CDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), timedivision multiple access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi)(e.g., IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ax, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE802.11g and/or IEEE 802.11n), voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP),Wi-MAX, a protocol for e-mail (e.g., Internet message access protocol(IMAP) and/or post office protocol (POP)), instant messaging (e.g.,extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Session InitiationProtocol for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions(SIMPLE), Instant Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS)), and/or ShortMessage Service (SMS), or any other suitable communication protocol,including communication protocols not yet developed as of the filingdate of this document.

In some embodiments, audio circuitry 472, speaker 460, and microphone462 provide an audio interface between a subject and device 102. Theaudio circuitry 472 receives audio data from peripherals interface 470,converts the audio data to an electrical signal, and transmits theelectrical signal to speaker 460. Speaker 460 converts the electricalsignal to human-audible sound waves. Audio circuitry 472 also receiveselectrical signals converted by microphone 462 from sound waves. Audiocircuitry 472 converts the electrical signal to audio data and transmitsthe audio data to peripherals interface 470 for processing. Audio datais, optionally, retrieved from and/or transmitted to memory 407 and/orRF circuitry 420 by peripherals interface 470.

In some embodiments, power system 418 optionally includes a powermanagement system, one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternatingcurrent (AC)), a recharging system, a power failure detection circuit, apower converter or inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., alight-emitting diode (LED)) and any other components associated with thegeneration, management and distribution of power in portable devices.

In some embodiments, device 102 optionally also includes one or moreoptical sensors 472. Optical sensor(s) 472 optionally includecharge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor(CMOS) phototransistors. Optical sensor(s) 472 receive light from theenvironment, projected through one or more lens, and converts the lightto data representing an image. In conjunction with imaging module 431(also called a camera module), optical sensor(s) 472 optionally capturestill images and/or video. In some embodiments, an optical sensor islocated on the back of device 102, opposite display system 408 on thefront of the device, so that the touch screen is enabled for use as aviewfinder for still and/or video image acquisition. In someembodiments, another optical sensor 472 is located on the front of thedevice 102 so that the subject's image is obtained (e.g., to verify theidentity of the subject, to assure responders that the subject is ingood health, or to help diagnose a subject's condition remotely, etc.).

As illustrated in FIG. 4A, a device 102 preferably comprises anoperating system 422 that includes procedures for handling various basicsystem services. Operating system 422 (e.g., iOS, DARWIN, RTXC, LINUX,UNIX, OS X, WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as VxWorks)includes various software components and/or drivers for controlling andmanaging general system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage devicecontrol, power management, etc.) and facilitates communication betweenvarious hardware and software components.

A device 102 further comprises an electronic address 220 (a mobile phonenumber, social media account, or e-mail address) associated with thecorresponding subject that is used by the response computer system 200to address event instructions 232 to the subject when events 228 occurin the closed environment and the subject is, for example, within theclosed environment 236.

The device 102 further comprises an event instructions module 426 forcommunicating with the response computer system 200 to obtain such eventinstructions 232 and to display such instructions. In some embodimentsevent instructions module 426 provides response computer system 200 withinformation regarding the subject, such as GPS coordinates, ifavailable, using optional GPS driver 428/optional GPS 419 and/or subjectmovement using optional accelerometer driver 430/optional accelerometer417.

In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4B, a device 104 associated withan event responder, system administrator, zone attendant and/orcaretaker, is a smart phone. In other embodiments, a device 104 is not asmart phone but rather is a tablet computer, desktop computer, emergencyvehicle computer, or other form or wired or wireless networked device.In some embodiments, device 104 has any or all of the circuitry,hardware components, and software components found in the device 102depicted in FIG. 4A. In the interest of brevity and clarity, only a fewof the possible components of device 104 are shown in order to betteremphasize the additional software modules that are installed on device104.

In typical embodiments, device 104 has one or more processing units(CPU's) 452, a network or other communications interface 470, a memory457 (e.g., random access memory), a user interface 456, the userinterface 456 including a display 458 and input 460 (e.g., keyboard,keypad, touch screen), an optional accelerometer 467, an optional GPS469, one or more communication busses 462 for interconnecting theaforementioned components, and a power system 468 for powering theaforementioned components. In some embodiments, the input 460 istouch-sensitive display, such as a touch-sensitive surface. In someembodiments, the user interface 456 may include one or more softkeyboard embodiments. The soft keyboard embodiments may include standard(QWERTY) and/or non-standard configurations of symbols on the displayedicons.

Device 104 optionally includes, in addition to accelerometer(s) 417, amagnetometer (not shown) and a GPS 419 (or GLONASS or other globalnavigation system) receiver for obtaining information concerning thelocation and orientation (e.g., portrait or landscape) of device 104.

It should be appreciated that device 104 is only one example of aportable multifunction device, and that device 104 optionally has moreor fewer components than shown in FIG. 4B (or in FIG. 4A), optionallycombines two or more components, or optionally has a differentconfiguration or arrangement of the components. The various componentsshown in FIG. 4B are implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or acombination thereof, including one or more signal processing and/orapplication specific integrated circuits.

As illustrated in FIG. 4B, a device 104 preferably comprises anoperating system 472 that includes procedures for handling various basicsystem services. A device 104 further comprises an electronic address474 (e.g., a mobile phone number, social media account, or e-mailaddress) associated with the event responder, system administrator, zoneattendant and/or caretaker that is used by the response computer system200 to address event instructions 232 pertaining to this person.

The device 104 further comprises an event instructions module 476 forcommunicating with the response computer system 200 to obtain such eventinstructions 232 and to display them. In some embodiments, eventinstructions module 426 provides response computer system 200information regarding the holder of device 104, such as GPS coordinates,when available, using optional GPS driver 478/optional GPS 419 and/orsubject movement using optional accelerometer optional driver480/optional accelerometer 467. Such information is useful to coordinateefforts between event responders and subjects in the closed environment216. For example, the response computer system 200 can notify subjectswith detailed information on how far away rescuers are during an event.In many event scenarios such information is particularly useful tosubjects in need of rescue, such as subjects in a burning skyscraper orsubjects trapped in a mine.

In some embodiments, response computer system 200 transmits instructionsfor formatting, for display, the visual position map, with a respectiveicon at the position on the schematic diagram of the closed environment236 of each subject bearing a passive RFID tag detected by at least oneof the plurality of RFID readers and a location 212 of each RFID reader300 in the plurality of readers, on the device 104 associated with theevent responder, system administrator, zone attendant and/or caretaker.In such embodiments, device 104 includes a visual position map module234 for maintaining the visual position map. In some embodiments, thevisual position map includes a plurality of zones 238, and for eachrespective zone 238, provides a listing or some other informationconstruct that identifies the subjects in the respective zone 240,optionally an identity of the RFID readers 300 in the respective zone242, and optionally the events occurring in the respective zone 244.This information is useful for responders so that they may determinewhere the subjects in need of rescue or other intervention are locatedin the closed environment.

In some embodiments, the visual position map includes a plurality ofzones 238, and for each respective zone 238, provides a listing or someother information construct that identifies the subjects in therespective zone 240, an identity of the RFID readers 300 in therespective zone 242, and the events occurring in the respective zone244.

Now that details of a system 48 for tracking a plurality of subjects ina closed environment 236 have been disclosed, details regarding a flowchart of processes and features of the network, in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure, are disclosed with reference toFIGS. 5 through 12.

Block 502. A radio frequency identification (RFID) network 48 fortracking a plurality of subjects in a closed environment with aplurality of entries 50 is provided. FIG. 6 illustrates one such closedenvironment. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the closed environment caninclude multiple buildings (e.g., building 14—multipurpose room,building 4—rainbow room, building 6—cottage, building 18—calico,building 17—maintenance, building 7—red barn. As illustrated in FIG. 6,alternatively, a closed environment can be a floor in a building, togive another non-limiting example.

The network comprises a plurality of RFID readers distributed across theenvironment and a response computer system. In some embodiments, theclosed environment is functionally defined by RFID readers of theplurality of RFID readers that are positioned at one or more entriesinto the environment, together with any physical barriers of the closedenvironment (e.g., building walls, fences, cliffs, mine shafts, etc.).As such, each respective RFID reader 300 in a first subset of thereaders is positioned at one of the entries. FIG. 7 illustrates. In FIG.7, the closed environment of FIG. 6 is now depicted with a plurality ofRFID readers. RFID readers 300-1 and 3008-8 of FIG. 7 are at entriesinto the closed environment whereas the remaining RFID readers definezones within the closed environment.

Each RFID reader 300 includes a unique reader identifier 208 and is incommunication with the response computer system. The response computersystem comprises memory and one or more processors. A sensor data store206, stored in the memory, includes, for each respective RFID reader300, a location in the closed environment and the unique readeridentifier 208 of the RFID reader 300.

Instructions, stored in the memory and configured for execution by theone or more processors, when executed by the one or more processors,cause the response computer system 200 to execute a method includingreceiving indication data. The indication data encompasses the ingressor egress of each respective subject 216 in the plurality of subjectsbearing a passive RFID tag through the plurality of entries.

In some embodiments, this indication data includes, for each respectivesubject 216, (i) a unique subject identifier 224 read off a passive RFIDtag in the possession of the respective subject 216 by a correspondingRFID reader 300 from a distance between the passive RFID tag and thecorresponding RFID reader 300 of up to forty feet and (ii) the readeridentifier 208 of the corresponding RFID reader 300. Advantageously, intypical embodiments, ultra high frequency RFID is used in which RFID tagreader module 330 transmits power in the form of a radio frequency tocompletely passive RFID tags born by subjects 216, thereby powering suchRFID tags with the radio frequency and for receiving a response backfrom such RFID tags, the response including the subject identifier ofthe subjects bearing the RFID tags. In this way, advantageously, thesubject identifiers of subjects in the vicinity (e.g., up to 10 feet, upto 20 feet, up to forty feet) of each RFID reader 300 is acquiredwithout any requirement that the RFID tags have a power source.

In some embodiments (504), the closed environment comprises a pluralityof internal zones, and each respective RFID reader 300 in a secondsubset of the plurality of RFID readers is positioned at an entry of aninternal zone 238 in the plurality of internal zones. For example, inFIG. 1, RFID readers 300-3 and 300-4 are at entries into the closedenvironment and thus constitute the first subset of RFID readers whereasRFID readers 300-1 and 300-2 define zones within the closed environmentand thus constitute the second subset of the plurality of RFID readers.

In some embodiments (506), the closed environment is a warehouse, amanufacturing facility, a refinery, a school, a business campus, acruise ship, a subject transportation hub, a government facility, amilitary installation, a conference center, a medical campus facility, acorrectional facility, hotel or a mine. These are just illustrativeexamples. In some embodiments, a closed environment is defined by a setof RFID readers positioned at entries, together with any physicalbarriers that the environment provides (e.g., walls, etc.) such that allcustomary exits and entries into and out of the closed environment(doorways as opposed to windows in the case of closed environments thatare single buildings, walkways and driveways in the case of closedenvironments that are multi-building campuses, etc.) are monitored by anRFID reader. As such, in some embodiments (508), the closed environmentincludes one or more buildings and one or more predefined open areas. Insome embodiments (510), the passive RFID tag is in a badge carried by orheld by the subject 216.

While attention has been given to subjects that are human, the presentdisclosure is not so limited. The disclosed system can be just as easilyused for inventory purposes, such as to track heavy mobile equipment ata construction site. As such, in some embodiments (512), at least someof the subjects in the plurality of subjects are chattels (e.g.,portable equipment). In some embodiments, some of the subjects areautomobiles and the closed environment is an auto dealership. In someembodiments, some of the subjects are railroad cars and the closedenvironment is a railroad switching station. In some embodiments, someof the subjects are buses and the closed environment is a bus station.In some embodiments, some of the subjects are subway rail cars or entiresubway trains and the closed environment is a subway station or subwaysystem (e.g., Bay Area Rapid Transit). In alternative embodiments, allof the subjects are humans and the closed environment is an autodealership, railroad switching station, bus station, subway station, orsubway system.

In some embodiments (514), at least a subset of the subjects in theplurality of subjects are humans or animals. In some embodiments (514),all of the subjects in the plurality of subjects are animals (e.g.,cows, sheep, horses) and the closed environment is a farm or a barn.

Block 516. A visual position map is maintained based on the indicationdata of block 502. The visual position map comprises a respectiveposition 212, on a schematic diagram 236 of the closed environment, ofeach subject 216 bearing a passive RFID tag detected by at least one ofthe plurality of RFID readers.

In some embodiments, the visual position map is displayed, with arespective icon at the position on the schematic 236 of the closedenvironment of each subject 216 bearing a passive RFID tag detected byat least one reader in the plurality of RFID readers (518). FIG. 8illustrates this. The zone “red barn” has a single subject 216. Thus,there is an icon 802 over the “red barn” zone indicating a single “1”subject.

In some embodiments, responsive to receiving a signal from an RFIDreader 300 in the plurality of RFID readers that a subject 216 has movedfrom a first position to a second position in the closed environment,the visual position map is updated by changing a position of the iconcorresponding to the subject 216 to reflect the second position (520).Thus, referring to FIG. 8, if the subject in the “red barn” zone were tomove to the “cottage” zone, the visual position map would be updated bychanging a position of the icon corresponding to the subject 216 toreflect the second position. In other words, the codon 802 would movefrom the red barn to the cottage in real time when the subject went fromthe red barn to the cottage.

In some embodiments, the closed environment comprises a plurality ofinternal zones, and each respective RFID reader 300 in a second subsetof the plurality of RFID readers is positioned at an entry of aninternal zone 238 in the plurality of internal zones. This isillustrated in FIG. 7, in which RFID readers 300-1 and 300-8 are atclosed environment entries whereas as the remaining RFID readers defineinternal zones. For instance, RFID readers 300-3 and 300-4 define the“cottage” internal zone, RFID reader 300-5 define the “maintenance”internal zone, and RFID readers 300-6 and 300-7 define the “red barn”internal zone. In some such embodiments, a first internal zone 238 inthe plurality of internal zones is monitored by a zone attendant. Thus,referring to FIG. 7 to illustrate, in some embodiments a zone attendantmonitors the “cottage” zone. An identity of each subject 216 in thefirst internal zone 238 (e.g., the “cottage zone”) is determined fromthe visual position map, and the identity of each subject 216 in thefirst internal zone 238 is communicated to a device 104 associated withthe zone attendant (522). For example, in some embodiments, the zoneattendant receives a list of all subjects in the “cottage” zone.

Block 524. An RFID reader status module 246 maintains an RFID readerstatus 210 of each RFID reader 300 in the plurality of RFID readers. TheRFID reader status module 246 also receives, on a recurring basis (e.g.,every minute, every five minutes, every hour, every day, and/or on anirregular basis such as only when an adverse RFID health status isincurred), a respective status signal from each respective RFID reader300 in the plurality of RFID readers. The respective status signalindicates an RFID reader status 210 of the respective RFID reader 300.The RFID reader status module 246 analyzes each respective status signalfor the RFID reader status 210 of the corresponding RFID reader 300.Examples of reader health status include, but are not limited to,antenna 309 orientation (e.g., correct, incorrect, etc.), readerconnectivity (e.g., connected, lost network 106 connectivity, unreliableconnectivity to network 106, etc.), reader authentication failure,reader software version (all modules up to date, modules out of date,etc.), reader software upgrade success status (e.g., successful, notsuccessful, etc.), reader command response failure, reader power status(e.g., reader being powered by back up battery 325, reader power ok,reader battery 325 critically low, reader battery 325 not charging),reader lost read data in buffer due to bad connection (buffer overflow),reader critical software error followed by error code (e.g., divide byzero), last reader power down ungraceful, duplicate reader IP address,and reader does not have an assigned location in sensor data store 206(e.g., reader not fully registered).

Referring to 526, in some embodiments, the RFID reader status module 246further transmits a status query signal to a respective RFID reader 300prior to obtaining a corresponding status signal, with the correspondingstatus signal being responsive to the status query signal. The RFIDreader status module 246 maintains an RFID reader data store (not shown)for the plurality of RFID readers. The RFID reader data store comprisesan RFID reader status 210, on a temporal basis, for each RFID reader 300in the plurality of RFID readers. The RFID reader status module 246maintains an RFID reader corrective action data store 248 comprising arespective RFID reader corrective action for each RFID reader healthcriterion in a plurality of RFID reader health criteria. In suchembodiments, the analyzing of each respective status signal for the RFIDreader status 210 of the corresponding RFID reader 300 additionallyentails sending a corrective action signal comprising a respective RFIDreader corrective action to an RFID reader 300 in the plurality of RFIDreaders when the RFID reader fails to satisfy an RFID health criterionin the plurality of RFID reader health criteria. This respective RFIDreader corrective action is obtained from the RFID reader correctiveaction data store 248.

Block 528. Referring to block 528, a subject data store 214 ismaintained. The subject data store 214 comprises a respective record ofeach subject 216 in the plurality of subjects. In some embodiments, arecord for a subject includes (i) a history 218 of ingress into andegress from the closed environment by the subject, (ii) a subjectelectronic address 220 associated with the subject 216 (e.g., theelectronic address of a device 104 associated with the subject), and(iii) a unique subject identifier 224 associated with the subject 216.In some embodiments, the subject electronic address 220 is a mobilephone number, social media account, or e-mail address associated withthe subject 216 (530).

Referring to FIG. 5D, in some embodiments, selection instructions arereceived (532). The selection instructions specify (i) a subset of theclosed environment and (ii) a message for all subjects in the subset ofthe closed environment. Advantageously, in some embodiments the visualposition map and subject data store 214 is leveraged to facilitate suchselection instructions. For instance, referring to FIG. 802, in someembodiments a map such as that depicted in FIG. 8 is displayed on acomputer system 104 associated with an event responder. The eventresponder can use a mouse or, in the case where the display 104 is touchscreen, a finger, to select, with a lasso movement, a portion of theclosed environment (region of the closed environment) and therebyindicate that all subjects in that portion of the closed environment areto receive a customized message. The event responder further eithertypes the message, speaks the message, or selects the message from apreexisting set of messages that is to be communicated to all subjectsthat are in the selected region of the closed environment. Thecollection of subjects in the plurality of subjects that are present inthe selected region of the closed environment is determined by queryingthe visual position map for all subjects in the subset of the closedenvironment. In some embodiments, this is accomplished by queryingsubject data store for subject location based on their ingress/egresshistory 281. In other embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 2, queries of subject data store are done on a zone by zone basison an ongoing basis and used to populate the entries 240 of the visualposition map. It will be appreciated that any number of dataarchitectures are possible and FIG. 2 and this description is but alimited set of the numerous possibilities that are all within the scopeof the present disclosure. In some embodiments, all or a portion of thevisual position map module and the subject data store module are in factin the same module. Regardless, of exact data structure, the disclosedsystems and method advantageously obtain, for each respective subject216 in the collection of subjects, the subject electronic address 220associated with the respective subject 216 in the selected subset of theclosed environment from the subject data store 214. The message is thencommunicated to the subject electronic address 220 of each subject 216in the collection of subjects. In some embodiments, the subset of theclosed environment selected by the event responder using a visualposition map on device 104 is one or more internal zone, two or moreinternal zones, or three or more internal zones of the enclosedenvironment. In some embodiments, the subset of the closed environmentselected by the event responder using a visual position map on device104 is at least one entry into the closed environment and/or at leastone internal zone of the closed environment. A working example of suchembodiments is an event responder lassoing a region of the enclosedenvironment on a device 104 that is a smart phone and speaking into thesmart phone 104 a message for subjects in the selected region specificinstructions on how to escape the selected region in view of an ongoingevent (telling the subjects to take stairwell A, not stairwell B out ofthe selected region because there is a fire in stairwell B).

In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 5D, an authorized interrogatorwhite list 225 is maintained for a subject 216 in the plurality ofsubjects (534). The authorized interrogator white list 225 includes, foreach respective authorized interrogator, an identity of the respectiveauthorized interrogator and a remote device (e.g., device 104)associated with the respective authorized interrogator. An example ofsuch an embodiment is a situation in which the subject 216 is a studentand the white list 225 includes information for each of the student'sclose relatives or other caretakers. Continuing with this embodiment,there is received, across the data network (e.g., network 106), a remoteinterrogation request from an interrogator that is outside the pluralityof subjects. As an example, the parent, hearing that there is a fire atthe student's school, using an application running on device 104 toquery as to the safety of the student. As such, the interrogationrequest includes an identity of the interrogator and an identity of thefirst subject 216. Responsive to the interrogation request, adetermination is made, using the subject data store 214, as to whetherthe interrogator is in the authorized interrogator white list 225 forthe first subject 216. In the case of the student/relative example, thisdetermination is made to make sure that the interrogator (e.g., theparent) has authority to obtain location information for the student.When the interrogator is in the authorized interrogator white list 225for the first subject 216, a location in the closed environment of thefirst subject 216 is obtained (e.g., from the ingress/egress history 1of subject data store 214 and/or from the zone information of the visualposition map maintained by the visual position map module 234) andcommunicated to the interrogator. In some embodiments, such informationis communicated to the remote device 104 associated with theinterrogator that is in the authorized interrogator white list 225. Inother embodiments, such information is communicated to any device 104that the authorized interrogator is using provided that the authorizedinterrogator has used the device 104 to adequately satisfyidentification challenges (e.g., logins, passwords, etc.) posed by theresponse computer system 200. When the interrogator is not in theauthorized interrogator white list 225 for the first subject 216, thelocation of the first subject 216 is not communicated to theinterrogator.

Block 536. Referring to block 536 of FIG. 5D, an event instruction setdata store 226 is also maintained. The event instruction set data store226 includes event instructions set. Each respective event instructionset 232 in the event instruction set data store 226 corresponds to oneor more events 228 in a plurality of events. Events include, but are notlimited to all forms of natural disasters, violent crimes, bombingthreats, health emergencies, building code violations (e.g., buildingcapacity exceeded), crowd control (e.g., too many people in onecafeteria when another cafeteria is vacant), to name a few exampleevent.

In some such embodiments (538 of FIG. 5E), a first event instruction set232 in the instruction event set data store 226 corresponds to a firstevent 228 and includes (i) a first message that is to be sent to a firstsubset of subjects in the plurality of subjects on the basis that theyare localized (e.g., by the visual position map or the ingress/egresshistory 218 of subject data store 214) to a first portion of the closedenvironment, without human intervention, responsive to the first event228 at a time when the event occurs, and (ii) a second message that isto be sent to a second subset of subjects in the plurality of subjectson the basis that they are localized by the visual position map to asecond portion of the closed environment, without human intervention,responsive to the first event 228 at a time when the event occurs. Toillustrate, the message sent to subjects in the first portion (e.g.,first zone) may be “Don't come into the zone second zone” while themessage sent to subjects in the second portion (e.g., second zone) maybe “Go this way because the fire is over here. Don't start runningtowards this exit, go this way.” In response to receiving an indicationthat the first event 228 has occurred, an identity of the first andsecond subset of subjects is obtained from the visual position map (orthe subject data store). Further, for each respective subject 216 in thefirst subset of subjects, the subject electronic address 220 associatedwith the respective subject 216 is obtained from the subject data store214. The first message is communicated to the respective subjectelectronic address 220 of each subject 216 in the first subset ofsubjects. For each respective subject 216 in the second subset ofsubjects, the subject electronic address 220 associated with therespective subject 216 from the subject data store 214 is obtained. Thesecond message is communicated to the mobile respective subjectelectronic address 220 of each subject 216 in the second subset ofsubjects. In some such embodiments, one of a respective GPS position orrespective RFID reader location of each responder in a plurality ofresponders is transmitted to the first subset or the second subset ofsubjects (540). Such an embodiment has use, for example, when the roleplayed by the first subset of subjects is different than that of thesecond subset of subjects. In one example, the first subset of subjectsis managers, teachers, or emergency personnel whereas the second subsetof subjects is hospital patients or students. As such, the first subsetof subjects is likely to receive more information or differentinformation, such as the locations of the event responders (e.g., rescueteam), than the second subset of subjects.

In some embodiments (542), a first event 228 in the plurality of eventstranspires and there is displayed on the schematic diagram 236 (i) aposition 212 of each RFID reader 300 in at least a subset of theplurality of RFID readers and (ii) a position of the first event 228.This is illustrated in FIG. 10. Each RFID reader 300 in the closedenvironment is depicted with an icon and the location of the event, herea fire, is also depicted on the schematic diagram of the closed event.

In some embodiments (544), a first event 228 in the plurality of eventstranspires, and the instructions further cause the response computersystem 200 to, responsive to the first event 228, transmit instructionsfor formatting, for display, the visual position map, with a respectiveicon at the position on the schematic diagram 236 of the closedenvironment of each subject 216 bearing a passive RFID tag detected byat least one of the plurality of RFID readers and a location of eachRFID reader 300 in the plurality of readers, on a remote computingdevice associated with a responder to the event 228. Examples of thisare the display of FIG. 8 or FIG. 9 on a device 104.

Referring to FIG. 5F, in some embodiments, each respective record in thesubject data store 214 further includes a class label, in a plurality ofclass labels, associated with the corresponding subject (548). Examplesof class labels, include, but are not limited, to subject role in abusiness entity, health status, age, student, teacher, medicalprofessional on duty, patient etc. A first event instruction set 232 inthe event instruction set data store 226 corresponds to a first event228 and includes (i) a first communication that is to be sent to a firstsubset of subjects in the plurality of subjects on the basis that theyare associated with a first class label in the plurality of class labelsand (ii) a second communication that is to be sent to a second subset ofsubjects in the plurality of subjects on the basis that they areassociated with a second (different) class label in the plurality ofclass labels. The response computer system 200, in response to receivingan indication that the first event 228 has occurred, obtains an identityof the first and second subset of subjects (e.g., from the visualposition map and/or the subject data store) and obtains, for eachrespective subject 216 in the first subset of subjects, the subjectelectronic address 220 associated with the respective subject 216 fromthe subject data store 214. The first communication is communicated tothe subject electronic address 220 of each subject 216 in the firstsubset of subjects. There is obtained, for each respective subject 216in the second subset of subjects, the subject electronic address 220associated with the respective subject 216 from the subject data store214. The second communication is communicated to the subject electronicaddress 220 of each subject 216 in the second subset of subjects. Insome embodiments, the first class label is associated with eventresponders and the second class label is associated with event rescuees(550). This embodiment illustrates the versatility of the disclosedsystems and methods in effectively handling complex events that requirehighly customized messages. Advantageously, rather than trying tosegment the subjects by zone or position in order to transmit customizedmessages to them, the subjects in a closed environment can be segmentedby their subject class. In some embodiments, customs messages are sentresponsive to a given event based on a function of both (i) positionwithin the closed environment (or outside the closed environment) and(ii) subject class.

Referring to FIG. 5G, in some embodiments (552), a first eventinstruction set 232 in the event instruction set data store 226corresponds to a first event 228 and includes a first communication thatis to be sent to a first subject 216 in the plurality of subjects on thebasis that (i) the first subject 216 is associated with a first classlabel in the plurality of class labels (e.g., the first subject is ateacher) and (ii) an event 228 has occurred. In response to receiving anindication that the first event 228 has occurred, an identity of thefirst subject 216 is obtained from the visual position map on the basisthat the first subject 216 has the first class label. For the firstsubject 216, the subject electronic address 220 associated with therespective subject 216 is obtained from the subject data store 214. Insome embodiments (554), the first communication is communicated to thesubject electronic address 220 of the first subject 216. In someembodiments, the first event 228 constitutes exceeding zone capacity ina first zone 238 in the closed environment and the first communicationis a warning to the subject regarding the zone capacity in the firstzone 238. Here, an example class label is a label indicating that thesubject is responsible for the zone under question.

It will be appreciated that each subject can have multiple class labels.Furthermore Boolean logic can be used to form complex search expressionsin order to achieve a highly select group of subjects that are toreceive a custom message. For instance, a search expression can be madethat asks for all subjects that are in zone 1 or 2 of the closedenvironment, that have taken CPR classes in the past three months, andthat are not allergic to coal dust. All subjects that fit these criteriaare then sent an individualized message through the response computersystem.

In some embodiments (556), a first event instruction set 232 in theevent instruction set data store 226 corresponds to a first event 228associated with a first location in the closed environment and includesa first communication. In response to receiving an indication that thefirst event 228 has occurred, the first event 228 is communicated to thesystem administrator. In some embodiments (558), the first event 228constitutes exceeding zone capacity in a first zone 238 in the closedenvironment and the first communication is a warning regarding exceedingzone capacity in the first zone 238.

In some embodiments (560), the visual position map is displayed withicons at the positions on the schematic diagram 236 of the closedenvironment of each subject 216 bearing a passive RFID tag detected byan RFID reader 300. The map optionally further displays, on theschematic diagram 236, some or all of the RFID readers, and optionallyfurther displays a location of a first event 228 on the schematicdiagram 236 when the first event 228 transpires. FIG. 11 illustratessuch a visual position map. Furthermore, selection instructions thatspecify a message for all subjects in a subset of the closed environmentare received. The subset of the environment is identified by a user byselecting a corresponding portion of the displayed visual position map.Advantageously, this can be done using a lasso maneuver with a mouseand/or by a lasso maneuver with a finger or stylus on a device 104 thathas a touch screen. As such, the collection of subjects present in thesubset of the closed environment is identified using the visual positionmap. The subject electronic addresses associated with these subjects areobtained from the subject data store 214 and the message is communicatedto each such subject 216 via the electronic addresses.

Referring to FIG. 5H, in some embodiments (562), the visual position mapis displayed with a respective icon at the position on the schematicdiagram 236 of the closed environment of each subject 216 bearing apassive RFID tag detected by at least one of the plurality of RFIDreaders. The visual position map optionally further displays on theschematic diagram 236 at least a subset of the RFID readers in aplurality of the RFID readers and optionally further displays a locationof a first event 228 on the schematic diagram 236 when the first event228 transpires. Such a map is illustrated in FIG. 11. Selectioninstructions are received that specify (i) a subset of the closedenvironment and (ii) a message for all subjects in the subset of theclosed environment. The subset of the closed environment is identifiedby a user by selecting a corresponding portion of the displayed visualposition map. For instance using a touch screen of a device 104 and/orusing a mouse. A responder or caretaker associated with the subset ofthe closed environment is identified and the message is communicated tothe responder or caretaker. In some such embodiments (564), the firstevent 228 constitutes exceeding zone capacity in a first zone 238 in theclosed environment and the first communication is a warning to the firstsubject 216 regarding the zone capacity in the first zone.

In some embodiments (566), a first RFID reader 300 in the plurality ofRFID readers further comprises a second sensor, other than an RFIDsensor and the instructions further cause the response computer systemto, responsive to receiving an indication of an event 228 in a portionof the closed environment associated with the first RFID, remotely usingthe second sensor to verify an occurrence of the event 228. In some suchembodiments (568), the second sensor is a camera, a temperature sensor,a noise-level detector a gas monitor, or a proximity sensor.Advantageously, such second level orthogonal verification serves toalleviate false alarms. For instance, if an event is reported, such as afire in internal zone 1, a camera and/or smoke detector, associated withthe RFID reader 300 of internal zone 1 can be used to independentlyverify whether there is a fire. Advantageously, such second levelorthogonal verification also serves to provide event respondersadditional information. For instance, if an event is reported, such as agunman in internal zone 1, a camera and/or microphone, associated withthe RFID reader 300 of internal zone 1 can be used to independentlycollect information on what is occurring in internal zone 1 andcommunicate this information to devices 104 using the response computersystem 200.

In some embodiments, the second sensor is a proximity sensor that isused to detect a subject going by the RFID sensor 300. In the event thatthe subject is not bearing an RFID tag, this interaction event will becommunicated to the response computer system. This is useful insituations such as a vehicle passing through the main entry of a closedenvironment that is detected as having passed through, but no valid RFIDtag is read. In this case the interaction event (the event of thesubject being within reading distance of an RFID reader 300 withoutbearing a suitable RFID tag) can be reported to the response computersystem 200 along with a license plate. In other examples, human subjectswho pass through an entry/exit point but are not in possession of avalid RFID tag are reported to the response computer system 200 becauseof the addition of the proximity sensor. In some embodiments, the RFIDsensor 300 includes the RFID sensor, a proximity sensor and a videocamera, where the video camera is used to discern false alarms detectedby the proximity sensor.

FIG. 12 illustrates a visual position map including a schematic diagramof a closed environment, with a respective icon at the position on theschematic diagram of each RFID reader 300 in a plurality of RFIDreaders, and further indicates a location of an alert on the schematicdiagram, and further indicates a report on the alert (threat note forfire), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Insome embodiments, the panel depicted in FIG. 12 is communicated to theelectronic addresses of event responders for display on devices 104.

FIG. 13 illustrates a visual position map including a schematic diagramof a closed environment, with a respective icon at the position on theschematic diagram of each RFID reader 300 in a plurality of RFIDreaders, and further indicates a location of an alert on the schematicdiagram, and further indicates a status of each RFID reader in theplurality of RFID readers, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. Here, RFID reader 300-6 is overlayed with an “O”meaning that it is on battery power due to a loss in grid power whereasRFID reader 300-7 is overlayed with an “X” meaning that it isinoperative. In some embodiments, the panel depicted in FIG. 13 iscommunicated to the electronic addresses of event responders for displayon devices 104. It will be appreciated that the presence of RFID readers300 that are inoperative in a closed environment will lead to inaccuracyin tracking the positions of subjects in the closed environment. In someembodiments, this is taken into account in the logic of the eventinstruction sets 232 and the messages such instructions sets 232 send todevices 102 and/or 104 are adjusted accordingly.

FIG. 14 illustrates the visual position map of FIG. 13 when an RFIDreader icon has been selected, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. For instance, in some embodiments, by clicking onthe icon of an RFID reader displayed on the map will provide a panel1402 that indicates the status of the selected RFID reader.

References Cited and Alternative Embodiments

All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety and for all purposes to the same extent as if eachindividual publication or patent or patent application was specificallyand individually indicated to be incorporated by reference in itsentirety for all purposes.

The present invention can be implemented as a computer program productthat comprises a computer program mechanism embedded in a nontransitorycomputer readable storage medium. For instance, the computer programproduct could contain the program modules shown in any combination ofFIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4A and/or 4B. These program modules can be stored on aCD-ROM, DVD, magnetic disk storage product, or any other tangiblecomputer readable data or program storage product.

Many modifications and variations of this invention can be made withoutdeparting from its spirit and scope, as will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. The specific embodiments described herein areoffered by way of example only. The embodiments were chosen anddescribed in order to best explain the principles of the invention andits practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the artto best utilize the invention and various embodiments with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Theinvention is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims,along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims areentitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) networkfor monitoring events in a closed environment, the network comprising aplurality of RFID readers distributed across the environment and aresponse computer system, wherein each respective RFID reader in theplurality of RFID readers includes a unique reader identifier and is incommunication with the response computer system; and the responsecomputer system comprises: a memory; one or more processors; a sensordata store, stored in the memory or addressable by the response computersystem, the sensor data store including, for each respective RFID readerin the plurality of RFID readers, a location in the closed environmentof the respective RFID reader and the unique reader identifier of therespective RFID reader; and instructions, stored in the memory andconfigured for execution by the one or more processors, that, whenexecuted by the one or more processors, cause the response computersystem to: receive indication data, the indication data encompassing thedetection of the proximity of a respective subject in a plurality ofsubjects bearing a passive RFID tag to a respective RFID reader in theplurality of readers, including (i) a unique subject identifier read offa passive RFID tag in the possession of the respective subject by therespective RFID reader and (ii) the reader identifier of the respectiveRFID reader; maintain a subject data store, the subject data storecomprising a record for each respective subject in the plurality ofsubjects that includes (i) a location of the respective subject in theclosed environment or an indication that the respective subject is notin the closed environment, (ii) an electronic address associated withthe respective subject, and (iii) a unique subject identifier associatedwith the respective subject, and (iv) a class label in a plurality ofclass labels; and maintain an event instruction set data store, eachrespective event instruction set in the event instruction set data storecorresponding to an event in a plurality of events, wherein a firstevent instruction set in the instruction event set data storecorresponds to a first event and includes a first message that is sentto a first subset of subjects in the plurality of subjects responsive tothe first event, wherein the first subset of subjects are selected fromthe plurality of subjects on the basis that they are (a) localized to afirst portion of the closed environment or (b) associated with a firstclass label in the plurality of class labels corresponding to the firstmessage, and the instructions further cause the response computer systemto, in response to receiving an indication that the first event hasoccurred, execute a method comprising: obtaining an identity of eachrespective subject in the first subset of subjects in accordance withthe first event instruction set; obtaining, for each respective subjectin the first subset of subjects, the electronic address associated withthe respective subject from the subject data store; communicating thefirst message to the respective electronic address of each subject inthe first subset of subjects; and dispatching one or more aerial dronesto execute a surveillance protocol, a containment protocol, or a rescueprotocol within the closed environment.
 2. The RFID network of claim 1,wherein the first event instruction set further includes: a secondmessage that is to be sent to a second subset of subjects in theplurality of subjects responsive to the first event, wherein the secondsubset of subjects are selected on the basis that they are (a) localizedto a second portion of the closed environment different from the firstportion of the closed environment, or (b) associated with a second classlabel in the plurality of class labels corresponding to the secondmessage; and the method responsive to receiving the indication that thefirst event has occurred further comprises: obtaining an identity ofeach respective subject in the second subset of subjects in accordancewith the first event instruction set; obtaining, for each respectivesubject in the second subset of subjects, the electronic addressassociated with the respective subject from the subject data store; andcommunicating the second message to the respective electronic address ofeach subject in the second subset of subjects.
 3. The RFID network ofclaim 1, wherein a first drone in the one or more drones includes avideo camera in electronic communication with the response computersystem and wherein the first drone performs the surveillance protocol,wherein the surveillance protocol comprises: instructing the drone tofly to a portion in the closed environment associated with the firstevent; and obtaining, through the drone, video surveillance data fromthe portion of the closed environment.
 4. The RFID network of claim 1,wherein the one or more aerial drones are stored at one or more storagelocations in the closed environment or proximate to the closedenvironment.
 5. The RFID network of claim 4, wherein a first storagelocation in the one or more storage locations is a first charging padthat a first aerial drone in the one or more aerial drones lands onautonomously without human intervention and is recharged by the firstcharging pad autonomously without human intervention.
 6. The RFIDnetwork of claim 5, wherein the first aerial drone comprises arechargeable battery in electrical communication with at least twocounter contacts at the bottom of the drone; and the first charging padcomprises a plurality of area-wise distributed charging contacts whichare insulated against each other or against neighboring primary contactsand are connectable with the at least two counter contacts when thefirst aerial drone lands on the first charging pad.
 7. The RFID networkof claim 6, wherein the plurality of area-wise distributed chargingcontacts is connected with a control unit and one or more electricalswitches for wiring into a right polarity for recharging therechargeable battery.
 8. The RFID network of claim 6, wherein eachcharging contact in the plurality of area-wise distributed chargingcontacts is in the form of a rectangle, triangle, square or hexagonalshape.
 9. The RFID network of claim 5, wherein the first charging pad ishoused in a hanger that has a retractable entryway.
 10. The RFID networkof claim 1, wherein a first drone in the one or more drones includes aloudspeaker and a microphone in electronic communication with theresponse computer system, the first drone is instructed to perform thesurveillance protocol, and the surveillance protocol comprises:instructing the first drone to fly to a portion in the closedenvironment associated with the first event; communicating, through theloudspeaker, instructions to subjects in the plurality of subjects inaccordance with the first event instruction set; and obtaining, throughthe microphone, audio surveillance data from the portion of the closedenvironment.
 11. The RFID network of claim 1, wherein a first drone inthe one or more drones includes an RFID reader in electroniccommunication with the response computer system and wherein the firstdrone is instructed to perform the surveillance protocol, wherein thesurveillance protocol comprises: instructing the first drone to fly to aportion in the closed environment associated with the first event; andobtaining, through the RFID reader, confirmation of an identity of eachsubject in the portion of the closed environment.
 12. The RFID networkof claim 1, wherein a first drone in the one or more drones includes avideo camera and a debilitating device in electronic communication withthe response computer system, the first drone is instructed to performthe containment protocol, and the containment protocol comprises:instructing the first drone to fly to a portion in the closedenvironment associated with the first event; obtaining, through thevideo camera, confirmation of a nefarious subject activity occurring inthe portion of the closed environment; receiving authorization, at thefirst drone from the response computer system, to use the debilitatingdevice upon confirmation of the nefarious subject activity; and usingthe debilitating device to counter the nefarious subject activity. 13.The RFID network of claim 12, wherein the debilitating device is a stungun and using the debilitating device to counter the nefarious subjectactivity comprises stunning a subject responsible for the nefarioussubject activity with an electric shock.
 14. The RFID network of claim12, wherein the debilitating device is a smoke bomb and using thedebilitating device to counter the nefarious subject activity comprisesactivating the smoke bomb.
 15. The RFID network of claim 1, wherein afirst drone in the one or more drones includes a sensor in electroniccommunication with the response computer system, the first drone isinstructed to perform the surveillance protocol, and the surveillanceprotocol comprises: instructing the first drone to fly to a portion inthe closed environment associated with the first event; and obtaining,through the first drone, sensor data from the portion of the closedenvironment using the sensor.
 16. The RFID network of claim 15, whereinthe sensor is temperature sensor, a noise-level detector, a gas monitor,an air flow meter, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a chemicalsensor, or a radiation sensor.
 17. The RFID network of claim 16, whereinthe surveillance protocol further comprises: using the sensor to map outone or more safe passage routes from the portion in the closedenvironment; and sending the one or more safe passage routes to theresponse computer system for dissemination to the first subset ofsubjects.
 18. The RFID network of claim 1, wherein a first drone in theone or more drones includes an 802.11 router in electronic communicationwith the response computer system, the first drone is instructed toperform the surveillance protocol, and the surveillance protocolcomprises: instructing the first drone to fly to a portion in the closedenvironment associated with the first event; and providing, through thefirst drone, 802.11 communication services to facilitate communicationbetween subjects at the portion of the closed environment and theresponse computer system.
 19. The RFID network of claim 1, wherein theinstructions further cause the response computer system to maintain avisual position map based on the indication data, the visual positionmap comprising: a respective position, on a schematic diagram of theclosed environment, of each subject bearing a passive RFID tag detectedby at least one RFID reader in the plurality of RFID readers and the oneor more aerial drones; and a respective position, on the schematicdiagram of the closed environment, of the one or more aerial drones. 20.The RFID network of claim 1, wherein a first drone in the one or moredrones includes a video camera in electronic communication with theresponse computer system, the first drone is instructed to perform thecontainment protocol, and the containment protocol comprises:instructing the first drone to fly to a portion in the closedenvironment associated with the first event; obtaining, through thevideo camera, confirmation of a nefarious subject in the portion of theclosed environment; receiving authorization, at the first drone from theresponse computer system, for the drone to crash into the nefarioussubject.
 21. The RFID network of claim 1, wherein a first aerial dronein the one or more aerial drones is dispatched to perform the rescueprotocol, and wherein the rescue protocol comprises using the firstaerial drone to guide the rescue personnel to a site of the first event.22. The RFID network of claim 1, wherein the closed environmentcomprises a plurality of internal zones, and each respective RFID readerin a second subset of the plurality of RFID readers is positioned at anentry of an internal zone in the plurality of internal zones.
 23. TheRFID network of claim 1, wherein a first aerial drone in the one or moreaerial drones is dispatched to perform the rescue protocol, and whereinthe rescue protocol comprises: dispatching the first aerial drone to anentrance of the closed environment; and upon arrival at the entrance ofone or first responders, guiding the one or more first responders to alocation of the first event.
 24. The RFID network of claim 1, whereinthe closed environment is a warehouse, a manufacturing facility, arefinery, a school, a business campus, a cruise ship, a subjecttransportation hub, a government facility, a military installation, aconference center, a medical campus facility, a correctional facility,hotel, or a mine.
 25. The RFID network of claim 1, wherein the closedenvironment includes one or more buildings and one or more predefinedopen areas.
 26. The RFID network of claim 1, wherein a first aerialdrone in the one or more aerial drones is dispatched to perform therescue protocol, and wherein the rescue protocol comprises: dispatchingthe first aerial drone to a position in an exit route from the closedenvironment; and upon arrival at the position of one or subjects in theplurality of subjects at the position, using the first aerial drone toguide the one or more subjects along the exit route.
 27. The RFIDnetwork of claim 1, wherein a first RFID reader in the plurality of RFIDreaders further comprises a second sensor, other than an RFID sensor,and wherein the instructions further cause the response computer systemto: responsive to receiving an indication of an event in a portion ofthe closed environment associated with the first RFID, remotely usingthe second sensor to verify an occurrence of the event.
 28. The RFIDnetwork of claim 1, wherein a first RFID reader in the plurality of RFIDreaders further comprises a second sensor, other than an RFID sensor,and wherein the instructions further cause the response computer systemto use the second sensor to independently obtain a measurement, whereinthe second sensor is a camera, a temperature sensor, a noise-leveldetector, a gas monitor, a proximity sensor, a chemical sensor, or aradiation sensor.
 29. The RFID network of claim 1, wherein theelectronic address is a mobile phone number, social media account, ore-mail address associated with the respective subject.
 30. The RFIDnetwork of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the responsecomputer system to execute an RFID reader status module methodcomprising: receiving, on a recurring basis, a respective status signalfrom each respective RFID reader in the plurality of RFID readers,wherein the respective status signal indicates a status of therespective RFID reader, and analyzing each respective status signal forthe status of the corresponding RFID reader.